Phillies' Eickhoff out 6-8 weeks with strained lat

Just when the Philadelphia Phillies added to their starting pitching depth by signing Jake Arrieta, they're suddenly down a man.

Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff will miss the next six-to-eight weeks with a mild lat strain, The Athletic's Meghan Montemurro reports. The 27-year-old won't throw for the next 7-10 days and will have to restart his spring program.

It's a sizable blow to the roster, as Eickhoff was projected to enter the season as the team's third starter behind Arrieta and Aaron Nola. His absence could open the door for Ben Lively, Jake Thompson, or Zach Eflin to join the rotation to kick off the campaign.

After a promising 2016 in which Eickhoff went 11-14 with a 3.65 ERA (115 ERA+) over 33 starts, he scuffled through 2017. He made only 24 starts thanks to an upper back strain, finishing the season with a 4-8 record and a 4.71 ERA, and watching his walk and hit rates balloon.