It has been quite the revelation to see Yunior Marte finding success with the Philadelphia Phillies this season. After struggling and bouncing between the majors and minors in 2023, Marte appeared to have finally cemented his spot in the Phillies bullpen, helping the team to their stellar 21-11 record.
However, Marte's breakout season has been unexpectedly interrupted. The right-hander has landed on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to May 1, the team annnounced on Friday afternoon.
Prior to tonight’s game, the Phillies placed RHP Yunior Marte on the 15-day injured list (retro to 5/1) with right shoulder inflammation. To fill his spot on the 26-man roster, RHP José Ruiz had his contract selected from Lehigh Valley (AAA). Ruiz will wear No. 66.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 3, 2024
Phillies get bad news as bullpen breakout lands on 15-day IL with shoulder injury
On the season, Marte had compiled a stellar 2.70 ERA while giving up just four earned runs with 12 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings pitched. This included an impressive run at the start of the season in which he held the opposition scoreless in six straight appearances.
In his last appearance on April 30 against the Los Angeles Angels, Marte had his worst outing to date, giving up three runs (one earned) on three hits, including a home run. He ended up with a blown save. Looking back now, his poor outing could be the result of his shoulder issue, which was most likely present at the time, limiting his overall effectiveness.
To replace Marte on the 26-man roster, the Phillies have selected the contract of right-handed pitcher José Ruiz, calling him up from the Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Ruiz joined the Phillies organization during the offseason when he was signed to a minor league deal back in November.
The seven-year MLB veteran has put up strong numbers with the IronPigs thus far, posting a tidy 1.64 ERA and 0.91 WHIP while walking just three and striking out 13 in just 11 innings of work.
As for Marte, for someone who doesn’t have a history of injuries in the past, hopefully, his current ailment is just a minor one and he will be back very soon with the Phillies to continue his breakthrough season.