Don Mattingly Expresses Concern After Phillies Demotion 

When asked about his level of concern regarding Kerkering’s struggles, Mattingly did not hide his feelings.

“I’d say a pretty high degree of worry,” Mattingly said.

The move comes after a difficult stretch for Kerkering, who has struggled throughout September. He has allowed nine runs across 4.1 innings in four appearances this month, including seven runs over his last two outings.

Kerkering has appeared in 62 games this season and owns a 4.97 ERA. His recent struggles have also left the Phillies looking for other options in their bullpen as the regular season enters its final week.

The timing makes the decision more significant for Philadelphia. The Phillies entered Sunday at 85-70 and tied with the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs in the National League Wild Card standings.

Philadelphia has also dealt with availability concerns elsewhere in its bullpen. Jonathan Bowlan, who has been used in important late-inning situations, has been unavailable while dealing with a mild groin strain.

Kerkering’s demotion now leaves the Phillies with another bullpen role to fill as they prepare for the postseason race. The organization will hope the right-hander can regain his form in Triple-A while Philadelphia searches for more reliable innings in the majors.

For Mattingly, though, the immediate concern is clear. Kerkering’s recent performance has reached a point where the Phillies felt a change was necessary with the season nearing its conclusion.