DETROIT -- Spencer Turnbull's return to Comerica Park to pitch against the Tigers -- who drafted and developed him before non-tendering him in November -- ended abruptly after he pitched three innings for the Phillies on Wednesday afternoon.

Turnbull exited Philadelphia’s 6-2 victory with right shoulder soreness after throwing 36 pitches and allowing one run. The only hit Turnbull allowed was a solo homer to former Phillies infielder/outfielder Matt Vierling on Turnbull's second pitch of the game.

The shoulder problem surfaced on Turnbull's next-to-last pitch of the game before he got Vierling on an infield popup to end the third.

“I just felt a little grab in the back of my tricep, shoulder area,” said Turnbull. “After that curveball, it got a little tight on me. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, but I wanted to tell them when I felt it. I didn’t want to do anything to make it worse.

“And I don’t know what it is about this place here. I can’t seem to stay healthy here. I don’t know if it’s a curse or what. But, can’t seem to stay healthy here. Glad to get out of here. Hopefully, when I get back to Philly, it’ll feel better in the morning.”

Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson said more would be known about Turnbull’s immediate future after additional testing on Thursday. Turnbull said he did not know if an MRI would be part of the process.

Asked for a starter option if Turnbull isn’t ready in five days, Thomson said, “I think the leading candidate would be [Michael] Mercado. He’s not that far away from his last start. So, he’s still stretched out.”

Mercado, recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday, had a perfect one-inning relief appearance Monday in his MLB debut.

“I thought he was good,” Thomson said of Turnbull’s performance. “He gave up the home run to Vierling, but other than that I thought he was pretty good. He walked a couple guys, but I thought his stuff was good. His slider was good.”

Turnbull struck out two in his first start since April 30. He left with a 3-1 lead as a result of Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh’s two-run homer in the top of the fourth. It was his first roundtripper since April 26, covering a stretch of 110 at-bats.

“Once I sat back down in the dugout,” said Marsh, “I looked up at the sky and was like, ‘OK, I can do it again. Thank you, man.’"

Gregory Soto, another ex-Tiger, replaced Turnbull on the mound.

The game ended up being quite a bullpen bonanza for the Phillies.

Soto, José Ruiz, Matt Strahm, Orion Kerkering and Jeff Hoffman each threw one scoreless inning. Ruiz and Soto both struck out two. Strahm allowed the lone hit -- an infield single to Colt Keith in the sixth -- until closer José Alvarado gave up a double to Vierling in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Andy Ibáñez drove him in with a single.

It also ended up being a big game for Marsh, who added a two-run single in the fifth and went 4-for-4 with three singles added to his seventh homer of the year to the opposite field. He has nine RBIs in seven career games against Detroit and 31 RBIs for the season.

“He was just staying through the baseball,” said Thomson. “The opposite-field home run tells you a lot about his swing, and he’s a little more in attack mode.”

Marsh, a left-handed hitter who had been 1-for-14 in his last four games and was batting .254, said, “I try to hit to left field as much as possible. I feel that’s when I’m at my best.”

Still, the story in this one was Turnbull and the drama surrounding his first start as a visitor at Comerica.

The Tigers drafted Turnbull out of the University of Alabama in the second round in 2014 and developed him into a starter who threw a no-hitter for them in 2021. Detroit president of baseball operations Scott Harris said “both sides needed a fresh start” after electing to let him go. It was a somewhat contentious parting due to the club and Turnbull disagreeing on the circumstances of his injuries.

However, Turnbull has done very well with his new team.

He posted a 1.67 ERA in six April starts as a replacement for Taijuan Walker before going to the bullpen, where he’s excelled. Turnbull threw three scoreless innings on June 21 against Arizona in his last outing, reaching 49 pitches. Walker going on the injured list again with right index finger inflammation has provided Turnbull another opportunity in the rotation.

Turnbull was 12-29 with a 4.55 ERA for the Tigers, but did throw a no-hitter for them in 2021 at Seattle.

"I try not to put too much pressure on one game or whatever,” Turnbull said before facing Detroit. “Don't want to give too much credit to a revenge tour or whatever.”

Turnbull said of taking the mound in the first: “It was weird. I was very nervous, a lot of butterflies today. It was a strange one for sure.

“I’m glad to be heading home.”