Phillies Make Roster Move Following Opening Day Loss

Phillies Make Roster Move Following Opening Day Loss Following their Opening Day loss to the Texas Rangers, the Philadelphia Phillies make their first roster change by optioning reserve outfielder Dalton Guthrie to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. This opens a spot for newcomer Cristian Pache, acquired Wednesday through a trade with Oakland. At this stage of the season, Bryce Harper is likely not going to be in the starting lineup for any significant amount of time, leaving a major hole in their outfield. Therefore, it is essential that they fill this void quickly. Zack Wheeler After suffering an opening day loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Philadelphia Phillies make a roster change to strengthen their rotation. Manager Rob Thomson recalls Zack Wheeler, who hadn't started since late August with right forearm tendinitis. Last season, the 32-year-old was an impressive ace for the Mets, posting a 14-10 record and 2.78 ERA across 32 starts. Additionally, he led all majors in innings pitched in 2021 with 213 1/3 and 188 2/3 between regular season and playoffs. On September 21, he returned from the IL and hasn't allowed an earned run in 10 innings. His first fastball of the spring measured 97 mph, which is promising. Aaron Nola Aaron Nola has made a strong case to be the ace of the Phillies rotation this season, boasting an impressive 3.25 ERA and 0.96 WHIP during his two seasons in the majors. On Thursday night, Nola was relieved after giving up five runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Rangers to drop his team to a loss. At 29 years old, Nola is entering his final year of his contract and talks about an extension were seemingly concluded before the start of the season. Last month, Nola's agent Scott Gelb reportedly discussed the possibility of a new deal with Nola and the Phillies. However, according to a report on Wednesday morning, contract talks have been put on hold until spring when Nola and the team can resume negotiations. Ranger Suarez After Wednesday's loss to the Phillies, they are facing an injury crisis in their starting rotation. Left-hander Ranger Suarez is struggling with inflammation in his left elbow and is unlikely to make it for Opening Day. Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports that an MRI on Suarez's arm revealed no structural damage. Therefore, the athlete will take a few days off before reassessing his elbow's health. Thomson anticipates Suarez's workload will be limited at the start of the season, but he can progress to full-stretch outings during the final weeks of spring training. The Phillies may opt to extend left-handed pitcher Matt Strahm, who could serve as their fourth starter if Suarez isn't ready. Strahm is an experienced starter and could potentially get the call to throw large innings in Suarez's absence. Zack Eflin After their opening-day loss to the Mets, the Phillies made a roster change that could have major repercussions. They temporarily demoted right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin and recall him for Thursday's doubleheader against the Dodgers. Though Eflin made a notable impact as a reliever during the playoffs, one might be inclined to feel any resentment towards his recent change of plans that cost him nearly $20,000; however, manager Gabe Kapler recently met with him to clarify why this change had been made. The Phillies will be hoping that Eflin can return to health quickly. He just started his minor league rehab assignment last Friday in Lehigh Valley, pitching two innings and 27 pitches. If everything goes as planned, Eflin should be ready for his first start within a month or so. Connor Brogdon On Thursday night, the Phillies made a major roster move. Connor Brogdon was reinstated from the disabled list after dealing with forearm fatigue and pitched two scoreless innings in a minor-league rehab game on Sunday. He's expected to return to the big-league bullpen in 2022, where he was originally expected to be a setup man. Unfortunately, this spring has seen him struggle with his fastball velocity and has allowed four earned runs in 2.1 innings of work. The Phillies still have one spot available on the bench, and Roman Quinn and Matt Joyce are two candidates to fill it. The former is younger and has some run power while Joyce is a career bench player with more experience. Seranthony Dominguez After their opening day loss to the Braves, the Phillies made a roster change. They called up Seranthony Dominguez from the minors in order to bolster their bullpen. It may not be a major move, but the Phillies are serious about improving their bullpen. Dominguez's addition gives them two options to go with Connor Brogdon and David Robertson in late innings. Manager Rob Thomson's bullpen is still a work in progress, but there are some positive signs. Notably, Corey Knebel is back in contention for save chances. Jose Alvarado On Tuesday night, the Phillies made their first roster change after losing to the Atlanta Braves on Opening Day. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, they inked left-handed pitcher Jose Alvarado to a three-year contract extension with a $9 million club option for 2026. Alvarado was one of the National League's most formidable relievers during 2022, compiling a 3.18 ERA and 81:24 K:BB ratio over 51 innings while earning two saves along the way. As they attempt to make another deep playoff run, the Phillies and manager Rob Thomson have relied on Alvarado as their late-inning bullpen ace. Following his demotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley last month, Alvarado returned with an improved BABIP and improved control. Brad Hand Following their Opening Day loss to the Rangers, the Phillies have made some roster adjustments. They reassigned Scott Kingery to minor league camp and assigned Kody Clemens to Triple A Lehigh Valley. They also re-signed right-handed reliever Brad Hand to a one-year, $2 million contract. Hand was a reliable reliever while with the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians from 2016-20, but his pitch command has declined significantly since then. If he can return to form, however, the Rockies could keep him around and recoup their investment if he succeeds in returning to form. David Robertson David Robertson has been an integral part of the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen over the last ten years, and their acquisition at the trade deadline could prove monumental in their quest to reach the World Series. He's a highly durable reliever with plenty of strikeouts under his belt. That's exactly what the Phillies need, especially with a thin starting rotation. Hopefully he can get back to pitching like he has in the past soon enough. Manager Rob Thomson reported that Robertson strained his calf while jumping up in the dugout after Bryce Harper homered against the Cardinals on Saturday night, thus being left off the roster for this series against Atlanta. Nick Nelson Last week, the Phillies made a significant change to their 40-man roster in an apparent effort to add minor leaguers viewed as potential major-league upgrades. While this doesn't guarantee an overhaul of the club's system, it does show they are willing to trim down its roster further before spring training concludes. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski has made a series of deals to add some minor-league players who could potentially contribute in the majors. On Friday, Dombrowski acquired left-handed pitcher Kent Emanuel off waivers from Houston and right-handed pitcher Nick Nelson from Toronto.
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