Nicasio is Latest Phillies Bullpen Arm to Join the Injured List

When the Phillies assembled their bullpen for 2019, one arm they hoped would come up big was Juan Nicasio.

After spending a week with the Phillies in 2017, Nicasio signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2018.  The Phillies landed Nicasio in the trade that sent Jean Segura to the Phillies.  After a strong stretch of performances for the Phillies, Nicasio was the latest to hit the Injured List.

The Phillies announced that they placed Nicasio on the 10-day Injured List with a left groin strain.  The Phillies have recalled left-handed reliever Austin Davis to take his place.

The Phillies projected bullpen in 2019 has been decimated by injury.  Here is what the Phillies thought they would have going into 2019:

• David Robertson, RHP, Closer
• Seranthony Dominguez, RHP
• Pat Neshek, RHP
• Tommy Hunter, RHP
• Adam Morgan, LHP
• Jose Alvarez, LHP
• Nicasio, RHP
• Hector Neris, RHP

Of those eight names, only Neris and Alvarez have avoided the injured list.  The next two names on that depth chart, Victor Arano and Edubray Ramos, each spent time on the injured list.  Arano is likely out for the season; Ramos is currently at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

The bullpen now sets up this way:

• Neris, RHP, Closer
• Hunter, RHP
• Edgar Garcia, RHP
• J.D. Hammer, RHP
• Alvarez, LHP
• Morgan, LHP
• Ranger Suarez, LHP
• Davis, LHP

The roster move gives the Phillies now four left-handed relievers in the bullpen.  Garcia and Hammer have had their moments of effectiveness, but are in the major leagues ahead of schedule. Vince Velasquez headed to the bullpen and was supposed to be some reliable relief help, but the Phillies had to put him back in the starting rotation, for a lack of options to start.

The Phillies should be active on the trade market in the next few weeks.