Miami Marlins: David Phelps Out for Season with Stress Fracture of the Radius Bone

Another one bites the bust for the Miami Marlins.

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The Miami Marlins lost starting pitcher David Phelps for the rest of the season, the team announced on Tuesday night. Phelps sustained a stress fracture of the radius bone in his right elbow, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.

#marlins RHP David phelps out for season with stress fracture of right radius
— clarkspencer (@clarkspencer) August 18, 2015

David Phelps left his start against, against the St. Louis Cardinals, after just 2 1/3 innings of work with discomfort in his elbow. The team placed him on the 15-day DL the next day, but did not feel the injury was serious at the time. Today’s news was not what the Marlins expected, or needed.

He will join Henderson Alvarez, Jose Fernandez, and Jarred Cosart on the disabled list. Alvarez is out for the season, like Phelps, but Fernandez and Cosart are still expected to return some time in September.

Phelps began the season in the bullpen for the Marlins, but was moved into the starting rotation on April 17th and has been a main stay in the rotation since.

On the season, David Phelps owns a 4.50 ERA and a 4.0 FIP in 112 innings of work. He’s made 23 total appearances, with 19 of them being starts. As a starter, Phelps owns a 4.39 ERA and a 4.00 FIP in 106 2/3 innings of work.

With Phelps out for the season, this opens the door for some of the younger Marlins to stick in the rotation. The rotation until Jose Fernandez or Jarred Cosart returns should be the following

Flores should get the first crack at the rotation void left by Phelps. Jose Urena could also be an option for the team, once he gets healthy and comes off the disabled list.

Chris Narveson also has experience as a starter, but with the Marlins season already lost, there is little reason to give a 33-year old starter a chance in the rotation. If he makes any starts at the expense of the younger Marlins starters, the team would be a huge mistake for the club for next season.

Phelps, like Fernandez, Alvarez, and Cosart, will be question marks for the Miami Marlins next season. The teams urgency to add a starter or two in the off-season should grow with this recent news.

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