Phillies' Jerad Eickhoff heads to disabled list with back injury

Jerad Eickhoff's average fastball velocity dropped by 3 mph in his start last Saturday. It was a red flag. Eickhoff pitched through stiffness in his back. He tried to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, and when he could not, he was placed on the disabled list.

He had hoped to continue pitching through the injury, which has affected him for more than a week.

"I didn't really think it would have to come to this," Eickhoff said. "But at this point in the season, it's better to play it safe than to kind of push through it and pitch through being uncomfortable."

So Eickhoff will miss at least one start, and probably more. The new disabled list is 10 days long, so Eickhoff could hypothetically return June 28 in Seattle. But the Phillies have exerted caution in similar situations; Aaron Nola missed a month earlier this season with a back injury.

The Phillies have not yet announced a starter for Friday's game. It could be Mark Leiter Jr. or Tom Eshelman, based on how the triple-A Lehigh Valley rotation aligns. Leiter, who slotted into the IronPigs' rotation when he returned to the minors, is on the 40-man roster. Eshelman is not.

First baseman Brock Stassi replaced Eickhoff on the active roster. With Eickhoff sidelined, four-fifths of the season's opening rotation has spent time on the DL.

Eickhoff's fastball averaged 88 mph in his six-inning outing against Arizona. It was 91 mph in the start before that, against Boston, and Eickhoff said he experienced what felt like a cramp in his back during that game. But the soreness persisted between starts.

"Thankfully it wasn't his arm," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.

Eickhoff has a 4.81 ERA this season. It is the first time the 26-year-old righthander has needed the disabled list.

"With the DL only being 10 days, we're hoping it'll only have a minimal effect on us," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said. "But we'll see. Our trainers and our doctors are not projecting that this is going to be super serious."

Adam Haseley, the Phillies' top draft pick, is expected to sign sometime this week — perhaps as soon as Wednesday. The outfielder will begin his professional career as a centerfielder at short-season Williamsport. … Shortstop prospect J.P. Crawford returned to triple-A Lehigh Valley's lineup Tuesday after missing nine days with a groin injury. … Nick Pivetta, fresh from the best start of his young career, will pitch Wednesday against St. Louis righthander Michael Wacha.