MLB news

The 34-year-old southpaw rejoins the Phillies’ bullpen after being shelved since early July due to a forearm strain. Before landing on the injured list, he had posted a miserable 7.14 ERA, 2.00 WHIP and a 32/13 K/BB ratio across 29 innings in 28 outings. Grant Holman was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move to clear a spot in the Phillies’ bullpen.

The procedural move frees up a spot on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster. Banks will not be eligible to return, if he does at all this season, until early September after hitting the shelf with a forearm strain just prior to the All-Star break.

No word yet on the severity of the strain or how long Banks will be sidelined for. The 34-year-old southpaw holds a troublesome 7.14 ERA, 2.00 WHIP and a 32/13 K/BB ratio over 29 innings in 28 appearances with the Phillies this season.

Banks fortifies Philadelphia’s bullpen with a fresh arm for the rest of their series against the Royals. The 34-year-old lefty has posted an inflated 5.86 ERA across 27 2/3 innings in the big leagues this season.

Banks had a 5.86 ERA in 26 appearances and had allowed an eye-popping 40 hits to go along with 13 walks for a 1.91 WHIP. The 34-year-old still has option years left and will try to get it together with the IronPigs.

The 34-year-old Banks has 253 2/3 career innings with a 3.65 ERA under his belt, but this was just his first time eligible for arbitration and since he’s not a closer, he was resigned to accepting just a little more than 1.5 times the MLB minimum. With the trade of Matt Strahm to Kansas City, Banks should move up the Phillies’ depth chart a bit this year.