2023 Phillies Regular Season Discussion

[zambonir]

Well, it sounds like Harper is a month away from really doing this. I don't think they'd start playing Guthrie every day. Or Pache either but an elite defensive CF would certainly be a better option (and if his bat comes around even better).

Regardless Harper and Bohm both play every day so maybe Harper plays 1B half the time and DH half the time, and Bohm is either DH or 1B otherwise. Really, I don't think Bohm's bat is so strong so he has to play every day, and Sosa's bat has leveled off to where he also doesn't have to play every day. But Harper and Schwarber and Castellanos do (even if Schwarbs has been disappointing).

I also gotta think they could just play Sosa instead of Guthrie (at any OF position) if it comes to it. But right now Sosa's bat is weak enough that Guthrie isn't really a downgrade per se. They are both guys with small sample success that's probably not sustainable, so c'est la vie.

The way things are going right now you could start giving Sosa one start a week at SS if his play demanded it, though it does not currently.

[Sabin]

Hey, there's no reason to overthink this.

[gmwannabe]

give it a week. if still in the doldrums I'd go back to the same batting order at the end of last year. just insert turner where Hoskins was. and let them have at it.
gm

[zambonir]

They do not have a starter for Sunday’s game and will likely promote a 24-year-old undrafted righty with a 4.46 ERA at Triple A (Noah Skirrow)

Ranger Suárez exits early, bringing Phillies' rotation issues further into focus

[bkox]

[bkox]

Phillies swapped relievers. Yunior Marté is back. Erich Uelmen optioned to AAA.

— Matt Gelb ( @MattGelb ) May 20, 2023

[andyb]

a 24-year-old undrafted righty

While technically correct that description on the surface was a little unfair to Skirrow with the 5-round draft that year. He would have been drafted in the top 15 rounds and if I remember his scouting report after he was signed he probably would have slid into the end of the top 10 somewhere, likely in the 7th-9th round range.

Baseball America ranked him 249th that year and he had played well in the Cape Cod League in the summer before he was drafted (2019).

[bkox]

The Phillies, who have no 5th starter and no clear answer as to who will be their 5th starter moving forward, will start Taijuan Walker on short rest Sunday against the Cubs. https://t.co/As2600NZIL

— NBC Sports Philadelphia ( @NBCSPhilly ) May 20, 2023

For what it's worth, Triple-A Lehigh Valley is doing a bullpen game today and listed Bailey Falter as Sunday's starter, so that would still put Noah Skirrow (or maybe another minor-league pitcher hmm) in play for Tuesday: https://t.co/TxRnkLXKQt

— Matt Gelb ( @MattGelb ) May 20, 2023

[bkeich]

I am really starting to lose confidence in Thomson. Why would you start a guy that is struggling mightly on short rest? Have a bullpen game

[bkox]

I am really starting to lose confidence in Thomson. Why would you start a guy that is struggling mightly on short rest? Have a bullpen game

all the short outings lately has the bullpen over taxed.. Unless Nola throws a CG today, we probably dont have enough relievers who can throw enough innings to do a bullpen game.

[zambonir]

Well, obviously they are willing to start Walker because he only pitched 2/3 of an inning and threw 40 pitches in his last start. They still have to have the bullpen game, it just won't be tomorrow.

[andyb]

I am fine with this. 40 pitches is like throwing between starts anyway. A little nervous we have bullpen games now against both the Braves and Mets of course.

Skirrow will get one. How he does will probably dictate what happens in the second game.

[bkox]

Phillies claimed Dylan Covey on waivers. He’s probably starting Tuesday.

— Matt Gelb ( @MattGelb ) May 20, 2023

Covey, at the very least, becomes a bulk guy in bullpen games every fifth day. He pitched in China the last two years. Came up and pitched four innings for Dodgers earlier this week. Other teams were interested once he hit waivers. Phillies need someone.

— Matt Gelb ( @MattGelb ) May 20, 2023

[bkeich]

I agree the bullpen has been used heavily, but Thursday was an off day, the pen should be available.

[bkox]

I would agree with you if Hoffman and Vazquez both hadnt thrown 2 innings last night. Those are the 2 (besides strahm) you will rely on in a bullpen game.

[Aquapong]

We sent him down last night I guess, but how did Uehlmen look? He allowed some runs but it sounds like they booted the ball all around that inning.

[zambonir]

So I guess at the moment, the simple answer to the Harper at 1B puzzle is that Kody Clemens is the guy you play in LF when Schwarber DHs.

[andyb]

Looks like Darick Hall was moved to the 60-day IL to create the spot.

I did not think too much of Uehlmen's command. Funky motion definitely a bit different but needed to locate batter. Pretty good depth but I guess Covey can give them length.

6-29 career record so not expecting much here. Assume he is gone if they feel better about Falter after a couple of weeks in the minors.

[zambonir]

Yeah it feels like he is just a body. Falter clearly needs the re-set and Sanchez wouldn't be better either.

I feel like I've seen two different stories speculating that McGarry could be next man up. Gelb says it explicitly (that once he gets to 60 pitches he could jump AAA) and I think one of the other stories implied it.

[andyb]

I don't think McGarry is close at all. Remember he is just getting stretched out after starting the season late and he has not really conquered AAA yet either. I think he is more likely to spend most of the year in the minors than being in the majors any time soon. Abel seems closer to me than McGarry simply because of health.