RHP Jordan Romano has been struggling in the Phillies bullpen. Could a move be forthcoming? “What do we have at Triple-A?”
Given the current rules and roster limits, and considering the ubiquitous need for pitching, the current Phillies minor league strategy is to load the Triple-A IronPigs up with relief pitchers. It does make sense, especially when considering the high variability of relief pitchers season over season, and the value it brings when you can find an Andrew Bellatti or a Jeff Hoffman. The IronPigs currently list 17 pitchers on their roster. If five of those are starters (and maybe RHP Nabil Crismatt isn’t a starter) then that leaves 12 relief pitchers. Thats kind of a lot.
Let’s break down the massive bullpen, and try to make sense of it all:
The 40-Man Guys
This is a group of pitchers who are here on option and hold a current spot on the 40-man roster. This is important for the immediate needs of the big league club. Should they need an extra arm for a doubleheader or one of the MLB pitchers needs a 15-day Injured List stint that isn’t considered serious, these guys can go up there and then come right back in two weeks if that’s what the Phillies need.
#67 Brett de Geus. The newest addition. His numbers aren’t eye-catching, but he was waived by the Marlins and had an option available which gave him some extra value.
#19 Max Lazar. He was somewhat of a revelation last season, quickly pitching his way out of Reading and ultimately claiming a 40-man spot and making his MLB debut. He came to the Phillies organization prior to the 2024 season as a minor league free agent. He didn’t have a great Spring Training this season.
#54 Michael Mercado. Needed a 40-man spot which Tampa did not have available, so they traded him to the Phillies. He started a few games last season but is ultimately a reliever and was able to make his MLB debut last season with the Phillies. He has been the one to close games for the IronPigs this season. (See below)
#45 Devin Sweet. He pitched in 7 MLB games in 2023, but has been on and off waivers for some time despite having an option available. His numbers last season at Triple-A Toledo are not bad, so the Phillies picked him up as an option-eligible reliever.
MLB Free Agents
Like the aforementioned Andrew Bellatti and Jeff Hoffman, the Phillies signed a bunch of relief arms with MLB experience. Some were perhaps injured lately, some just didn’t have a 40-man spot available to them at their previous stop, and most don’t have options left. A couple of these guys may have opt-out options on June 1 or thereabouts. These players have MLB service time in other organizations, sometimes significantly. If they get called up, they’ll need a 40-man spot as well as the 26-man spot on the Phillies. If they don’t perform well enough to stay with the Phillies, then they will need to pass through waivers during the DFA process and there’s a chance that they end up elsewhere. That is the other reason to have so many arms available: You might lose some along the way.
#31 Koyo Aoyagi I’m giving the 31yo credit for his professional experience in Japan. This is his first experience in the US. He’s a submarine pitcher from the right side. So far, he hasn’t really settled in, but we expect he’ll be a viable option for the big club later in the season.
#61 Nabil Crismatt. He’s starting now, but if he goes up to the Phillies it will almost certainly be in a relief role. As he’ll be stretched out, he’d be a good candidate for a bulk role.
#46 Jose Cuas. The righty side-armer has 132 games of MLB experience, including with two teams last season. He hasn’t been terribly efficient thus far.
#22 Joel Kuhnel. A 30yo veteran of 82 MLB appearances, he spent most of his time in the Majors with Cincinnati from 2019 to 2023
#23 Nick Vespi. The only LHP in this whole group! It seems the Phillies feel good about their LHP options in their MLB bullpen and didn’t prioritize lefties in Triple-A. Vespi has 45 appearances in the majors with Baltimore over the past three seasons, and signed a minors deal as a free agent. His numbers don’t look great so far, but he’ll be in the mix because of his lefty-ness.
MiLB Free Agents
These are minor league guys, perhaps from within the Phillies organization or who came in as minor league free agents. Most don’t have any MLB time, or very very little.
#43 John McMillon. He does have 8 games of MLB service time, but he had 28 appearances last season at Triple-A. He was another waiver claim, but he then passed through waivers and ended up in the IronPigs bullpen. He’s currently on the “Development List.”
#48 Nicholas Padilla. While he has made his MLB debut, he has just had a cup of coffee at that level and has much more experience at Triple-A. He arrives as a minor league free agent who was with the White Sox organization last season.
#69 Austin Schulfer. Currently on the “Development List” he comes to the Phillies organization as a minor league free agent who has not yet made his MLB debut. He has Triple-A relief experience in 2022-2024, most recently with Toledo.
#18 Guillo Zuñiga. Has just 7 games of MLB experience, but 73 games at AA and 55 at AAA. He was signed to a minors contract last fall after getting released by the Angels. What is somewhat interesting is that he may still have an option left, should he find his way onto the 40-man. He’s been very good so far this season.
….
“Wait, where are all the guys the Phillies have developed?”
Yeah, that’s an important observation. You can point to Orion Kerkering who is in the Majors. There’s also RHP Daniel Harper who is kind of the hammer in Reading right now. Or even a guy like Mercado who was identified and brought here to be groomed for an important relief role. But mostly, it hasn’t been a priority for the current Phillies regime to draft and develop relievers. We might see a failed starter here and there get into a more prominent role as a reliever. Say, Griff McGarry, although he’s starting in Reading at the moment.
“OK, but who is the closer and what roles are these guys filling?”
Mercado is the one taking the ball at the end of games so far. But, it’s not unusual for a Triple-A team to not have a defined closer. Or, any particular role at all. You might have a guy or two who can do multiple innings. But mostly, guys will pitch when it’s their “turn.” The manager and the pitching coach need to be fair to these guys and give them all opportunities, so there will be a sort of rotation so that they can all get work.
See you at the park,
@Kram207
Cover image of Joel Kuhnel by Cheryl Pursell