KANSAS CITY – The All-Star Home Run Derby is a week away, but Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper remain undecided if they will participate.
Harper plans to take part in the event if he can find a pitcher he trusts.
Schwarber is expected to participate but won’t fully commit until he’s sure his back will hold up. He missed a game in Washington late last month when his back locked up. He has played every game since Washington.
Both players are expected to finalize their decisions by mid-week.
KELLER SET TO RETURN
The Phillies’ bullpen will receive some reinforcement Tuesday night in Cincinnati when Brad Keller comes off the injured list. The right-hander has recovered from a bout of forearm tendinitis.
Keller pitched two innings of minor-league rehab for Triple-A Lehigh Valley in recent days. He allowed two runs in his first outing but pitched a scoreless inning with a strikeout on Sunday.
The Phillies signed Keller to a two-year, $22 million contract over the winter to be one of the primary set-up men for closer Jhoan Duran. He pitched to a 4.15 ERA in 31 games before going on the IL after allowing three hits and three runs in a game at Milwaukee on June 13.
With Keller out, Orion Kerkering has taken some eighth-inning reps and will continue to get the ball in high-leverage situations while Keller eases back in, manager Don Mattingly said.
“I’m definitely comfortable with Kerk anywhere back there,” Mattingly said. “One thing I’ve tried to do in the past, when you get a guy coming off the IL, you’re probably not firing him into a bases-loaded, no-out situation. You try to give him somewhat of a clean inning, a little bit of a softer landing so to speak.”
Either way, the back of the Phillies’ bullpen could use another experienced arm so Keller’s return should provide a boost.