Phillies News and Discussion 2025 Season

[Austinfan]

They turned Hoffman into a pretty good pitcher. A few others as well.
Since the cost is basically zero, why not?
If they need the roster spot, DFA with little chance he'll be claimed, unless he turns it around, in which case they'll dump someone else.

[zambonir]

You might be right about Hernandez, but having the optionable/rotating spot is one way to mitigate the lack of depth created by the loss of Jose. For now Nola's injury has allowed them to keep Hernandez and have that spot, but that won't be the case once Walker returns to the pen (barring another injury). For sure Painter is the other factor down the road. I still think they go six-man with him for a while (which still costs them a reliever spot).

Ruiz's job is just as shaky as Hernandez's I think.

[andyb]

They signed Hoffman after a decent relief season with Cincinnati. He was a former first round pick in a new role, not a 30 year old journeyman.

Sometimes signing an extra left-handed pitcher when your best left-handed reliever is out for half the season is nothing more than depth. Nobody is arguing to not fill the roster spot. You just seem to have some grand concept of the Phillies as miracle workers with mediocre journeymen and that is really not true. If Strahm or Banks got hurt we would really need a LHP. To the point where that alone would probably force a trade (or a Ranger move to the bullpen). Walker is just mediocre, cheap depth.

[andyb]

Ruiz's job is just as shaky as Hernandez's I think.

He is throwing more 94-95 than 96-98 this year, so yes he looks a little shaky.

[Austinfan]

I don't expect miracles, neither do the Phillies.
Walker is very fungible.
But low cost gambles makes sense.

It's not just pitchers, Mendez was a great pickup, his swing needed work, excess GBs, but he had strength and made contact - easier to fix mechanics than infuse talent.

You should be making as many low cost upside gambles as possible, some guys coming off injuries, some players who have raw size/athleticism but who need "fixing," some guys who fell through the cracks.

[zambonir]

I would settle for a Bellati if not a Hoffman. But yeah. This is all just normal roster management. They have added a ton of guys to either the bottom of the 40 (including our last two 27th men and now this guy) or on minor league deals, both since spring training and since losing Alvarado. As happens every year.

Hoffman was a high-pedigreed guy on a major-league opt-out so they had to give him a look (helped along by his famous BP session with Bryce). I don't think there's anyone like that in AAA right now.

(But the Braves have a guy like that. Name of Kimbrel. They have to call him up or release him if any other major league team comes calling. He's dominating AAA as you'd expect. But....)

[andyb]

You should be making as many low cost upside gambles as possible

Not with 40-man roster spots. You maximize short and medium term value with those and Walker is CLEARLY a short term move. You can be philosophically correct in wanting low upside moves but you fail to acknowledge the roster management reality here. If Walker pitches more than a handful of innings for the Phillies I would be shocked. He is a level below de Geus for instance that we just saw last night.

[andyb]

Question - How many 40-man pitchers are in the minors and left-handed.
Answer - One (Walker).

Question - Who is the next best left-handed reliever in AAA?
Answer - Nick Vespi (ERA 7.36) is the only reliever on the roster.

Question - How about AA?
Answer - Braeden Fasnaught, Wesley Moore, Andrew Walling. None of them are even close to major league options.

The reality is we are dangerously thin on left-handed relief pitching. This Walker trade was emergency depth, but since he is terrible we are probably actively looking to make a trade now. Or seriously considering moving Ranger when Painter is ready.

[dcsman]

I don’t know. His Baseball Reference page says pitcher and left fielder. I don’t know why you guys just assume we didn’t get our new left fielder.

[zambonir]

Another baffling choice by DD to add a lefty bat

[andyb]

Well it does look like we are without Harper for a couple more days.

[zambonir]

I just saw the interview and it doesn't sound good. I mean, not a disaster, but he hasn't touched a bat yet. Seems just as likely as not that he isn't ready for the Toronto series in which case they needn't play short this weekend. Of course calling up Cal Stevenson or Stubbs doesn't do much either.

[andyb]

Of course calling up Cal Stevenson or Stubbs doesn't do much either.

Does Rincones play 1B? Would it be worth starting his 40-man clock a little early if he did? Stevenson really adds little if Marsh is healthy? Kemp is flexible, but is his right-handed bat in the lineup better than Sosa? Probably not if you consider defense too.

Nothing to do other than wait it out because Bryce back on the 10th day of his injury would probably be better than having a replacement for the next 6 or 7. Crawford is good enough but starting his option clock early to play Kepler at 1B is not worth it.

[zambonir]

Yeah you're really just talking about taking playing time away from Sosa in any of these scenarios. And also making Stott start against LHP like last night. They are not going to go crazy - or even DFA one of these pitchers - just to get a defensively inferior LHB for 1 or 2 starts or PHs.

But if they had to I would personally go with Stubbs! LHB, can actually play several positions if he has to. But they probably don't want to interrupt his new job mentoring the AAA pitchers.

[andyb]

We lose Stubbs on the DFA after Bryce is healthy though. He could very well be the extra hitter in September, but one has to think we need to keep our Realmuto injury hedges viable through the season (even if Marchan had his first really good game the other day).

Maybe we'll see JT at 1B once or twice. The bat is not worth playing, but maybe saving the wear and team from his legs IS worth it. Quintana Sunday for the Brewers so they could put JT at 1B and keep Bohm and Sosa in the lineup if they wanted to avoid the extra lefty.

[BostonRoss]

The way JT is hitting, we don't get much offense by playing him at 1B. When he is resting, I'd just as soon see him simply rest.

[zambonir]

We lose Stott on the DFA after Bryce is healthy though. He could very well be the extra hitter in September, but one has to think we need to keep our Realmuto injury hedges viable through the season (even if Marchan had his first really good game the other day).

You mean Stubbs, and he has an option. That's why he didn't ever have a chance to beat out Marchan in the first place.

I don't think they would seriously call him up. The September bat is more interesting but by then there will probably be other guys acquired or at least on the 40.

[zambonir]

Schwarbs took grounders at 1B today incidentally. They are still saying no DL stint. I think I might be more worried about Harper going into another funk due to both the soreness and the braces he is planning to wear (since he hadn't been doing that).

[Callison]

Wasn't long ago that Walker was doing fine as a reliever. He looked like he was getting his game back. Then Nola went down and Abel filled in with some 8Ks against the Pirates in a dominant starting performance. Athletic teams are supposed to be about performance, but the Phils acted like they didn't even notice Abel's performance, sent him down and jumped at the chance to start Walker again. As of today, this decision reeks even more than it did when it was first made, which is plenty. No doubt Walker will remain in the rotation too - that's the Phils' way - when you underperform, the Phils send you right back out there to prove their decision is OK. It would be better to recall Abel, but noooooooooooo...

Though the Phils' pen can go off the rails with a cool breeze, Lazar showed some poise last outing. Got the first 2 guys, got jobbed on a missed 3rd strike, then got the next guy. Got some hope for him.

The Phils are clearly weakened without Harper. Maybe it takes a week to heal - OK, let it heal completely before sending him back out.

[Austinfan]

Abel had an awful season last year, while he had a good start, they wanted to keep him on a development path in AAA. He's still not a finished product and has work to do. Especially his command.