Lisalverto Bonilla scratched from Futures Game
KANSAS CITY — Fans hoping for a look Sunday at Lisalverto Bonilla, the hard-throwing Phillies righthanded reliever who has dominated double-A competition, will be disappointed. He will not pitch in the Futures Game.
Bonilla, 22, injured his right thumb while clowning around with teammates in a hotel room Saturday night, a source said. The hand was visibly swollen Sunday and he could not shake a reporter's hand.
Scouts have lauded Bonilla's pitching in 2012. He began at single-A Clearwater and quickly earned a promotion to double-A Reading, where he became an Eastern League all-star.
Over both levels, Bonilla has a 1.55 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings. Opponents are hitting .191 against him.
"It's a great experience," Bonilla said of being selected to the Futures Game. "Not everybody gets here. It's a very nice honor."
But he won't pitch in it because of a boneheaded mistake.
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