Phillies option reliever Orion Kerkering to Triple-A, call up Max Lazar
Philadelphia Phillies have optioned reliever Orion Kerkering to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following a poor performance this month. Kerkering's 18.69 ERA in four appearances raised concerns for interim manager Don Mattingly, who struggled to find suitable roles for him in games. The 25-year-old right-hander had previously established himself as a reliable setup man with a 2.78 ERA and four saves over the past two seasons.
Kerkering's season began strongly with a 2.03 ERA in his first 29 outings, but he suffered a season-ending throwing error in Game 4 of the 2025 NL Division Series, contributing to the Los Angeles Dodgers' 2-1 victory. The Phillies have since promoted Max Lazar from Lehigh Valley to replace Kerkering on the active roster.
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