Monday, September 1, 2014
[size=150] PHILLIES ADD SEVEN PLAYERS TO MAJOR LEAGUE ROSTER [/size]
The Phillies will recall infielder Cesar Hernandez, catcher Cameron Rupp and right-handed pitchers Luis Garcia and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez from triple-A Lehigh Valley, the club announced today. Additionally, infielder Maikel Franco and outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. will have their contracts selected from Lehigh Valley and right-hander Mike Adams will be activated off the disabled list. To make room on the 40-man roster, left-hander Cliff Lee will be transferred to the 60-day DL.
Adams has been on the DL since June 7 with inflammation in his right rotator cuff. Prior to going on the DL, he had appeared in 19 games for the Phillies, going 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA and a .210 opponents’ batting average. Adams, 36, made four rehab appearances with Lehigh Valley.
Franco, 22, was named Lehigh Valley’s Player of the Year after hitting .257 with 33 doubles, four triples, 16 home runs and 78 RBI in 133 games. He entered the 2014 season rated the top prospect in the Phillies’ minor league system by both Baseball America and minorleaguebasell.com. Franco was the youngest position player selected to the All-Star Futures Game, his second consecutive selection. Since July 2, he has batted .324 with 11 home runs and an International League-leading 47 RBI. Franco will wear #7.
Lehigh Valley’s Pitcher of the Year, Garcia finished the 2014 season 2-1 with 22 saves and a 0.96 ERA in 39 games. He collected 52 strikeouts in 46.2 innings pitched (10.03 SO/9.0 IP) and did not allow a home run while holding opposing hitters to a .205 batting average. Garcia, who appeared in four games this season for the Phillies in two prior recalls, opened the season without allowing an earned run through his first 21.2 innings (19 games).
Signed last August as a free agent out of Cuba, Gonzalez, 27, pitched at three levels this season: single-A Clearwater, double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley. He went a combined 0-4 with seven saves and a 3.11 ERA in 31 games (three starts), while compiling 54 strikeouts in 46.1 innings (10.5 S0/9.0 IP). Overall, Gonzalez held opposing hitters to a .231 batting average with two home runs allowed. In relief, he allowed a .195 average. Gonzalez will wear #75.
Gwynn began the season on the Phillies major league roster. He was released on July 27 before being re-signed by the club on August 3 to a minor league contract and assigned to Lehigh Valley. In 20 games with Lehigh Valley, the 31-year-old batted .290 with two doubles, one home run and seven RBI.
This will mark Hernandez’s third stint with the major league club after initially making the Opening Day roster. He spent time with both Lehigh Valley and Reading this year, batting a combined .290 with 10 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 24 RBI in 66 games. In his final nine games of the minor league season, Hernandez, 24, hit .394 (13-33).
Rupp, 25, appeared in 59 games for Lehigh Valley this year and batted .162 with six home runs and 19 RBI. Defensively, he caught 14 of 47 (29.8%) attempted basestealers and made three errors behind the plate. Rupp made 17 starts for the Phillies earlier this season.
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Press Releases provided courtesy of the Phillies, Media Relations. Thanks, guys!
