Yunior Marte’s success with the Philadelphia Phillies this season has been one of the notable surprises. After a challenging year in 2023, where he struggled and fluctuated between the majors and minors, Marte seemed to have finally secured his place in the Phillies’ bullpen, contributing significantly to their impressive 21-11 record.
However, Marte’s breakout season has been abruptly halted. The right-handed reliever has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to May 1, according to the team’s announcement on Friday afternoon.
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The Phillies have confirmed that before tonight’s game, they placed Marte on the 15-day IL due to his shoulder issue, with his injury dating back to May 1. To fill his roster spot, the team has promoted right-handed pitcher José Ruiz from their Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Ruiz will wear No. 66 for the Phillies.
This season, Marte had delivered a remarkable performance, boasting a 2.70 ERA with just four earned runs allowed and 12 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings. He had been particularly impressive at the beginning of the season, going scoreless in six consecutive appearances.
In his most recent outing on April 30 against the Los Angeles Angels, Marte experienced his worst performance of the season, surrendering three runs (one earned) on three hits, including a home run. This outing ended with a blown save. It’s now suspected that this poor performance might have been influenced by his shoulder issue, which may have been affecting his effectiveness during that game.
To replace Marte, the Phillies have brought up José Ruiz from Lehigh Valley. Ruiz, who joined the Phillies organization during the offseason after signing a minor league deal in November, has been impressive with the IronPigs. He has posted a strong 1.64 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP in 11 innings, walking just three and striking out 13.
For Marte, who has had no significant injury history before, it’s hoped that his current issue is minor and that he will return to continue his impressive season with the Phillies soon.
