Seth Johnson Called Up as Phillies Place Bowlan on IL
The Phillies turned to Seth Johnson on Monday after placing Jonathan Bowlan on the 15-day injured list with a right groin strain. The move came after Bowlan left Sunday’s 4-3 loss to the Diamondbacks feeling discomfort that worsened after he tried to stretch it out, manager Rob Thomson said in Philadelphia.
The club expects Bowlan to return when the 15 days are up, calling the injury a mild strain. In the meantime, Seth Johnson was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to give the Phillies another hard-throwing right-hander in the bullpen.
Bowlan’s injury forces a short-term bullpen reset
Bowlan, 29, pitched two-thirds of an inning on Sunday and allowed one inherited runner to score before striking out two to strand a pair. Thomson said Bowlan felt the strain after the outing, and the issue became worse when he tried to work through it afterward.
The Phillies acquired Bowlan from the Royals in the offseason in a trade for Matt Strahm, and he had posted a 3. 86 ERA in seven innings out of the bullpen this season. His fastball has averaged 97. 4 mph and has produced a 37. 5% whiff rate, while the Phillies have also had him work on a changeup since spring training to help against left-handed hitters.
Seth Johnson gets another big-league look
With Bowlan sidelined, Seth Johnson is back with the major league club and set for another opportunity. Johnson, 27, has pitched in six Triple-A games this year and has a 3. 00 ERA with two saves. He also has 15 innings of major league experience between 2024 and 2025.
Thomson said Johnson’s velocity has always stood out, but the manager believes the right-hander has taken a step forward with command. “He’s throwing strikes, ” Thomson said. “He’s powering the ball through the zone, which is what we wanted him to do, because the stuff’s always been there. ”
Seth Johnson has averaged 98. 3 mph on his fastball in Triple-A this season, and Thomson said the secondary pitches have also improved. That gives the Phillies a little more flexibility while Bowlan recovers, and it keeps Seth Johnson in the spotlight as the club looks for stability.
Lineup shuffling continues behind the bullpen move
The roster switch landed on the same day Thomson adjusted the batting order for Monday’s series opener against the Cubs. He said he considered J. T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm for the cleanup spot before choosing Adolis García at No. 4 against Chicago right-hander Javier Assad.
Thomson said he did not want to change the top three of Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper because he wants each to be assured an at-bat in the first inning. Brandon Marsh moved out of the cleanup spot and down to No. 5, while Bohm dropped to No. 6 as the Phillies tried to find the right mix.
The move is also meant to ease pressure on Bohm, who has a. 148 batting average and. 456 OPS. For now, the Phillies will watch Bowlan’s recovery and see how Seth Johnson handles the opportunity, with Seth Johnson again serving as part of the club’s immediate answer.
