Coming off getting destroyed by the Braves 9-0 on Friday, Philadelphia Phillies fans probably don't think things could get much worse. The Phillies have now lost eight of their last 11 games and looked lifeless against a Braves team that they absolutely needed a strong showing against. Unfortunately, the bad news does not stop there, as the latest Jhoan Duran update was not a good one.
Duran has been a revelation for the Phillies since being acquired at the trade deadline last year from the Twins. He was stellar in his 23 appearances last season, and he had started 2026 off well with a 1.35 ERA through his first seven trips out of the bullpen. However, Duran had not pitched at all since April 11 while nursing an oblique injury.
The bad news is that the short in-season vacation was not enough, and Duran was placed on the IL due to his injury. However, the corresponding moves the Phillies announced are at least interesting, even if they don't solve their closer problem.
Prior to tonight’s game against the Atlanta Braves, the Phillies announced the following roster moves:
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 18, 2026
Infielder/outfielder Felix Reyes had his contract selected from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and will wear No. 29
Right-handed pitcher Seth Johnson was recalled from Triple-A…
Phillies place Jhoan Duran on the injured list, recall Felix Reyes and Seth Johnson
Aside from Duran's absence, which is a pretty big deal, the Phillies also optioned Otto Kemp, who has struggled mightily in limited action, and released Pedro Leon, who was never able to recapture that top prospect hype he had when he was with Houston. Johnson is pretty much the definition of a depth arm used as a quick fix, although he does sport a 2.57 ERA in Triple-A so far this season.
The more interesting call-up here is Felix Reyes. Not only does Reyes have a lot of versatility as an infielder/outfielder, but he has also been a bit of a late bloomer at the plate. After several fairly ordinary seasons in the minors, Reyes posted a .331/.362/.562 line in 2025 and was off to a similar start this season before getting called up.
Whether or not these roster changes are enough to blunt the assault from Atlanta this weekend, they don't really answer the Phillies' biggest questions right now. Not only does the energy level seem off, but oblique injuries can be tricky to heal from quickly, so Duran could be out for a while, although team officials do believe his injury is mild. For a team with playoff aspirations, things seem to be unraveling quickly.
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