Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff didn’t last long in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Braves. The right-hander gave up six runs on six hits and a walk with one strikeout in two innings. Beyond the poor performance, it was unclear at the time if he exited early for any other reason, but now we know. According to Meghan Montemurro of The News Journal, Eickhoff was bothered by nerve irritation in his right hand. He’ll undergo testing over the next few days to determine where to go from here.
Wednesday’s performance brought Eickhoff’s ERA up to 4.71. He’s also carrying a 118/53 K/BB ratio in 128 innings.
Since the rebuilding Phillies’ postseason hopes were long ago dashed, it wouldn’t be surprising if the club decides to shut Eickhoff down for the rest of the season to play it safe.
