The Philadelphia Phillies are demoting reliever Orion Kerkering to Triple-A Lehigh Valley with seven games remaining before the playoffs, according to The Athletic's Matt Gelb. The decision follows a brutal stretch for the 25-year-old, who allowed four earned runs on four hits and two walks in the eighth inning of Saturday's 10-3 loss to the New York Mets.

Kerkering's outing came one night after Juan Soto hit a three-run homer against him with two outs. Across those two appearances in Queens, Kerkering surrendered seven earned runs. He has recorded a 15.43 ERA over his last seven outings and a 10.29 ERA over his last 15.

The right-hander entered the All-Star break with a 2.43 ERA but has taken a step back since then. In 22 appearances after the break, he has logged an 8.10 ERA. He has allowed opponents to score in half of those 22 appearances, while his strikeout rate has dropped to 20%. His four-seam fastball velocity has also fallen from 97.5 mph before the break to 96.9 mph afterward and his slider has dipped as well. Kerkering has maintained a double-digit walk rate.

Still, Kerkering leads Philadelphia with 17 holds and has two saves. He has served as a crucial setup arm ahead of Jhoan Duran, while only Jose Alvarado has made more bullpen appearances for the Phillies.

Article Continues Below

Kerkering said his turf toe was not behind his recent problems, instead pointing to mechanics, execution and an inconsistent sweeper. He also acknowledged that hitters are recognizing the pitch more frequently. Interim manager Don Mattingly raised concerns about Kerkering's confidence after Saturday's outing.

The move creates another challenge for Philadelphia's bullpen. Jonathan Bowlan, who has a 3.36 ERA, 14 holds and two saves across 59 appearances, is dealing with right groin tightness and remains day to day without going on the injured list. Meanwhile, Phillies relievers covering the fifth through seventh innings have combined for a 5.26 ERA, the highest in the majors.

Jhoan Duran has compiled a 1.76 ERA with 32 saves, but Mattingly said keeping games close through the middle innings has been an issue. Nestor Cortes could become an option after throwing three scoreless innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, striking out three without a walk. He remains postseason eligible as Philadelphia evaluates its bullpen options before October.