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The Phillies placed Duran on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a left oblique strain, retroactive to Wednesday.
Duran has been dominant as the Phillies' closer to begin the year, posting a 1.35 ERA and 0.75 WHIP through 6.2 innings while tallying five saves. However, he hasn't pitched in a week due to his oblique injury and will now remain sidelined until at least April 30. Brad Keller and Jose Alvarado are the leading candidates to pick up saves while Duran is out, and Seth Johnson will come up from Triple-A to round out the bullpen.
Keller walked one in a hitless and scoreless ninth inning Saturday in a loss to Atlanta. He struck out one.
Considering closer Jhoan Duran (oblique) hit the injured list Saturday, Keller's usage in the ninth inning of a 3-1 game is noteworthy. Duran will miss at least two weeks of action, and Keller appears initially to be worthy of a speculative add for fantasy managers in search of saves. Keller has four holds through his first 8.2 innings, registering a 4.15 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 9:3 K:BB.
Keller threw a clean first inning in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against Detroit. He struck out one.
Keller needed only 11 pitches to retire the side in his spring debut, with his sinker topping out at 97.3 mph. The 30-year-old signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Phillies over the winter, and Keller is preparing to serve as the primary right-handed setup man for closer Jhoan Duran in 2026, per Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
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Phillies' Brad Keller: Signs two-year deal with Phillies
Rotowire
The Phillies signed Keller to a two-year, $22 million contract Wednesday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Keller was a full-time reliever for the first time in 2025 with the Cubs and excelled, collecting a 2.07 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 75:22 K:BB over 69.2 regular-season innings. The Phillies intend to keep him in a bullpen role, though his past starting experience allows for the possibility that he could make some starts, if needed. Keller is in line to help set up for closer Jhoan Duran.
Keller is drawing free-agent interest both as a starter and reliever, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
Keller flourished with the Cubs in 2025 in a full-time relief role, collecting a 2.07 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 75:22 K:BB over 69.2 regular-season innings. He's a good bet to sign somewhere as a high-leverage reliever, but there are also clubs that think the 30-year-old could have success moving back to a starting pitcher role.
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Cubs' Brad Keller: Four-out save in Game 3
Rotowire
Keller issued a walk and struck out two batters over 1.1 scoreless innings to pick up a save in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Brewers on Wednesday.
Keller walked Caleb Durbin on four pitches to load the bases upon entering the game before striking out Jake Bauers to pick up the final out of the eighth inning. The 30-year-old reliever then retired the side in order during the ninth to pick up his second save of the postseason and give the Cubs their first win of the NLDS.
Keller tossed a perfect ninth inning to record the save in Tuesday's 3-1 victory over the Padres.
Daniel Palencia, the Cubs' regular-season saves leader, had already exited Tuesday's contest by the seventh inning, leaving Keller as the best available option to pitch the ninth. He froze Xander Bogaerts with a called third strike to collect his first career postseason save and put the finishing touches on a perfect 4.2-inning performance from Chicago's bullpen. Keller will likely continue to see regular high-leverage action for the duration of the Cubs' postseason run.
