An MRI revealed that Leiter has a mild flexor strain, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

It seems like Leiter avoided the worst-case scenario, but he's still expected to miss a good chunk of time. The Phillies plan to shut him down for 2-to-3 weeks, meaning that the earliest he can return to action is late April. This essentially guarantees a trip to the DL to start the season, which opens the fifth starter competition back up for Ben Lively, Zach Eflin and non-roster invitee Drew Hutchison.