Phillies prospect Alec Asher was likely rushed to the Major Leagues in 2015 out of a desperate need for a starter after the trade of Cole Hamels and repeated injuries and poor starts from the rest of the staff. Opening the season at AA Reading and now at AA Lehigh Valley, Asher has been one of the more dominant arms in the system in 2016, going 4-2 with a 2.30 earned run average in eight starts over both stops. Unfortunately, Asher has suffered a setback.
According to Minor League Moves, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs have placed Asher on the 7-day disabled list, effective May 18, with a lower body contusion. The move is a major blow to the pitching depth of the Phillies big league club at the minor league level. Of the five starters at AAA Lehigh Valley, only Asher and David Buchanan are on the club's 40-man roster. In the event of an injury, Asher may have been the first to be recalled to fill a Major League start.
Asher's injury could mean a couple promotions in the system. Prospect Shane Watson was promoted from Class A Lakewood to Class A Clearwater Friday. Ben Lively, currently 6-0 with a 1.53 earned run average, could be the one to fill Asher's spot for now on the Lehigh Valley roster. Lively was acquired in exchange for outfielder Marlon Byrd after the 2014 season.
No timeline for Asher's recovery has been reported just yet.
