Vince Velasquez left his start Wednesday vs. the Cubs with an injury (Frank Klose/Philliedelphia)
The Phillies got some bad news just two pitches into the game. Phillies starter Vince Velasquez was only one batter into the game when something was not right. Velasquez called for the trainer and departed the game immediately and was relieved by Brett Oberholtzer.
Thanks to some injuries at AAA Lehigh Valley, the Phillies have no clear-cut replacement. Alec Asher would have been the name the Phillies would have gone to a few weeks ago, but Asher is currently on the 7-day disabled list for the IronPigs. Asher was 3-0 with a 2.30 earned run average for the IronPigs before his injury.
Phillies fans might wish to see Zach Eflin, 5-1 with a 3.14 earned run average for AAA Lehigh Valley, or Ben Lively, a combined 9-0 with a 2.00 earned run average between AA Reading and AAA Lehigh Valley, but the team may wish to wait. As the team has said before, a player's progress will not be dictated by anything other then whether or not the player is ready. That could mean the return of David Buchanan, who has not been stellar, pitching to 3–4 record and a 4.96 earned run average for AAA Lehigh Valley.
Buchanan is on the 40-man roster and that would allow Eflin and Lively continue development time in the minors and not create the need for another roster move. Of course, the Phillies might be able to outright Buchanan and open up a roster spot; Buchanan might not be likely to be claimed.
The official cause for Velasquez's exit is "right biceps soreness". Hopefully the Phillies will not need to make a move at all.
