JC Romero is likely to hit the disabled list after suffering a right calf strain in the ninth inning on Monday night. Romero lunged for a ball to his right and appeared to tweak the calf as the ball passed him. An MRI is slated for Tuesday.
“I know it’s going to take at least a week until everything gets back to normal, and after that I’ll do what I have to do,” he said. “I’ll have to stay sharp with my arm throughout the week. [Tuesday] we’ll know what we’re going to do with it.
Romero has become a DL staple the last few years and that disturbing trends looks to continue. Antonio Bastardo will become the lead lefty out of the bullpen if Romero misses an extended period.
Who might be waiting in the wings? Michael Stutes was the last man off the roster, however, he’s a righty. Mike Zagurski would fill the lefty role Romero would leave behind, so he’s also a candidate. Could Scott Matheison’s name be called?
We’ll know plenty later on today.
UPDATE, 1:00 pm: In a press release from the Phillies:
Left-hander J.C. Romero has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right calf strain, the Phillies announced today. To fill his spot on the 25-man roster, left-hander Mike Zagurski was recalled from triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Romero, 34, injured his calf in last night’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers after getting two outs in the ninth inning. He is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in seven games this season.
Zagurski is 1-0 with one save and a 0.00 ERA in three games for the IronPigs this year. He has allowed two hits and has seven strikeouts in 3.1 innings (18.9 SO/9.0 IP). Last year, the 28-year-old went 2-3 with three saves and a 3.27 ERA in 52 appearances for Lehigh Valley. He had 71 strikeouts in 52.1 innings (12.2 SO/9.0 IP).
