Phillies Place 3 Pitchers on DL

The Phillies placed pitchers Francisco Rosario, Mike Zagurski and Scott Mathieson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 21st. Zagurski and Mathieson have been injured all spring, so the move comes as no surprise for them, but this is the first I have heard that Rosario was injured. Rosario, who was battling for a bullpen spot, has a strained right shoulder.

These moves leave three players, Clay Condrey, J.D. Durbin and Travis Blackley battling for up to two roster spots. If the Phillies keep only 11 pitchers, only one of those three would make the team. Condrey has out-pitched the other two, so I would guess he would be the most likely of the three to make the team. Of course, there is plenty of speculation that the team is looking to acquire another left-handed pitcher for the bullpen, which could leave them all on the outside looking in.

The Phillies still have some tough decisions to make, like what they are going to do with Wes Helms and Chris Snelling. There is no way that both players make the team, so one will need to be traded or released. Unless there are a slew of injuries, neither player would have a big role on the team this year.

We are about a week away from the start of the season, and the Phillies still have their hardest roster decisions ahead of them.