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Phillies Notes: Hays, Turnbull, Painter

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Now that the Phillies have officially clinched a spot in the postseason, manager Rob Thomson spoke to reporters (including Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer) earlier today about the club’s plans for the postseason roster. Per Coffey, the club appears to be leaning towards a 12-man pitching staff and an expanded bench for the playoffs this year.

Garrett Stubbs, Edmundo Sosa, Kody Clemens, Weston Wilson, and Cal Stevenson currently make up the club’s bench mix. Stubbs and Sosa are all but guaranteed spots on the postseason bench as the club’s backup catcher and primary utility infielder respectively, but if the club plans to utilize a five-man bench in the postseason then there are still three spots up for grabs. In addition to Clemens, Wilson, and Stevenson, Coffey notes that recently-optioned infielder Buddy Kennedy could be in the mix for a spot on the postseason bench as well.

Perhaps most notably, outfielder Austin Hays also figures to factor into the club’s bench conversation this postseason despite having spent the entire month of September to this point on the IL due to a kidney infection. Hays began a rehab assignment at Triple-A earlier today and while that rehab stint only figures to last two days with the Triple-A season set to end tomorrow, Thomson indicated to reporters (including Coffey) that the club isn’t concerned about the lack of in-game reps due to the fact that, if the Phillies secure a bye through the Wild Card round as they currently seem poised to do, Hays would be able to get plenty of at-bats in intra-squad games during that layoff prior to the NLDS.

Hays, 28, started the season with the Orioles but was dealt to the Phillies in the trade that sent right-hander Seranthony Dominguez to Baltimore ahead of the trade deadline back in July. Overall, he’s been a roughly league average bat this year with a .254/.305/.388 slash line (96 wRC+), though he was above average before slumping in Philadelphia as he adjusted to a bench role. With that said, he’s still an excellent source of offense against left-handed pitching, as demonstrated by his sensational 166 wRC+ against southpaws this season. That could make him a perfect platoon partner of sorts for Brandon Marsh, who the Phils have worked to protect from same-handed pitching for much of the year.

If Hays joins Sosa and Stubbs on the club’s bench, that would leave two spots available for the other four names that seem to be in discussion. Stevenson has enjoyed semi-regular playing time in a platoon with Johan Rojas in center field over the past month and could continue in a similar role into the playoffs, while Clemens has the strongest record of the group as a pinch hitter this year and could therefore be an attractive option as well. That being said, both Wilson and Kennedy could be viable alternatives if the club prefers more right-handed options on the bench beyond Sosa and Hays.

Set to join Hays on a rehab assignment tomorrow is right-hander Spencer Turnbull, who MLB.com’s Injury Tracker notes is expected to start the season finale at Triple-A before continuing his rehab at the club’s complex in Florida. It’s a step in the right direction for the 32-year-old, who has been shelved since late June due to a lat strain but could still return to the club during the postseason. The right-hander was nothing short of excellent for the Phillies in a swing role early this year, pitching to a 2.65 ERA with a 3.85 FIP in 54 1/3 innings of work.

Speaking of injured right-handers, Coffey noted that top pitching prospect Andrew Painter could be in the conversation to participate in the Arizona Fall League as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, per president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Painter has been throwing to live hitters in the club’s Florida complex, but Dombrowski noted that the club has avoided making a firm decision on his availability for the AFL so as to not put pressure on the 21-year-old to get ahead of himself in his rehab.

The club’s top pitching prospect and a consensus top-30 prospect in the sport, Painter was in the conversation for the club’s Opening Day roster after a dominant Spring Training last year but ended up undergoing Tommy John surgery before being sidelined by injuries and eventually going under the knife. The youngster figures to be ready to return in time for the 2025 season, but a return this fall in Arizona would be an encouraging development for a youngster who has lost plenty of reps over the past two seasons due to injury.

Phillies Outright Aramis Garcia

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The Phillies announced that catcher Aramis Garcia, who was designated for assignment a couple of days ago, has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He has the right to elect free agency but it’s not yet clear if he has chosen to do so.

Garcia, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Phillies in the offseason. He got into 74 games at the Triple-A level but without much to show for it. He did hit eight home runs and steal six bases but he only walked 4.4% of the time and was punched out at a 35.6% rate. His overall batting line was .163/.219/.287.

Despite those rough results, the Phils needed an extra catcher earlier this month. J.T. Realmuto had fouled a ball of his knee and needed to take a few days off, leaving Garrett Stubbs as the club’s primary catcher, at least temporarily. Rafael Marchán is also on the club’s 40-man but was dealing with a shoulder impingement recently, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic on X. Garcia was selected to the roster to back up Stubbs and got into three games, going hitless in seven plate appearances, striking out three times. As Realmuto got past his knee injury, Garcia became expendable and was nudged off the roster.

Garcia has never hit much in his career. In addition to his stint with the Phils this year, he has also suited up for the Giants, Athletics and Reds in previous seasons. He currently sports a batting line of .211/.248/.325 in 327 big league plate appearances. But his defense is fairly well regarded, making him a capable depth option despite the lackluster bat.

Players with at least three years of service time or a previous career outright have the right to reject outright assignments and elect free agency. Garcia qualifies on both counts and can return to the open market. However, at this stage of the calendar, he might decide to simply stay with the Phils. He wouldn’t be postseason eligible with any other club, while playing playoff games with the Phils could be possible if either Realmuto or Stubbs get hurt in the coming weeks.

If he isn’t selected in the coming weeks, he would be eligible for free agency in the offseason. That’s the case for all players with at least three years of service time who are outrighted off a 40-man roster during the campaign and not re-selected before the winter.

Phillies Moving Taijuan Walker Back To Rotation

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Taijuan Walker will make his return to the Phillies’ rotation on Thursday against the Mets, manager Rob Thomson told reporters (link via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). Philadelphia had moved the veteran righty to the bullpen at the end of August.

Walker made three relief appearances. He gave up two runs in three innings against the Blue Jays on September 3 and surrendered three runs in two innings to the Marlins four days later. Walker is coming off a better showing on Saturday, when he held the Mets scoreless over three frames. In total, he has allowed five runs (four earned) with only two strikeouts in eight innings since the bullpen move.

That’s not exactly a dominant performance, but the Phils haven’t had a better answer for the fifth starter role. Tyler Phillips, Seth Johnson and Kolby Allard each got one look in the #5 rotation spot. Phillips didn’t make it out of the first inning and gave up six runs against Toronto. Johnson allowed nine runs and didn’t get through the third inning versus Miami in his MLB debut. The Mets tagged Allard for four runs over three innings on Saturday. Johnson and Phillips have already been optioned back to Triple-A; Matt Gelb of the Athletic tweets that Allard will move to the bullpen.

Philadelphia’s fifth starter role has been a mess since Spencer Turnbull suffered a lat strain in June. Walker has a 6.50 earned run average across 14 starts. Cameos for Michael Mercado and the aforementioned trio of Phillips, Johnson and Allard have yielded disastrous results.

Fortunately, that shouldn’t be a big deal in the postseason. Thomson can cut down to his excellent top four of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez. Walker should return to the bullpen in October if he makes the playoff roster. An injury to any of Philadelphia’s top four starters would make things a lot less comfortable, but they’re trending towards a first-round bye with the kind of high-end rotation talent they can rely upon in the postseason.

For now, Walker will have a couple chances to try to finish the regular season on a high note. After Thursday’s start in Queens, he’ll be lined up for a home outing against the Cubs. The Phils only need to turn to their fifth starter twice more in the regular season. They could try to line Walker up for the final start against Washington on September 29 if they’re already locked into the #1 or 2 seed in the National League and want to give an extra day of rest to their projected postseason rotation.

NL East Notes: Albies, Marte, Bohm

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11:01am: The Mets told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com) that Marte’s x-rays came back negative, though he’s out of the lineup due to soreness for today’s game. Meanwhile, the Phillies have activated Bohm from the IL ahead of schedule and will bat him fifth in today’s lineup.

9:15am: The Braves have been without second baseman Ozzie Albies for nearly two months now due to a fractured left wrist, and since then the club has had to rely on veterans like Whit Merrifield and Cavan Biggio who were added following his injury to handle the keystone. While Merrifield has performed admirably in Albies’s absence with a .269/.374/.370 slash line with Atlanta, the club is surely anxious to return the three-time All-Star to the lineup as the Braves fight to remain in a playoff spot with just two weeks to go in the regular season.

When manager Brian Snitker and Albies himself spoke to reporters on Friday about the second baseman’s status, the update was somewhat mixed. Snitker (as relayed by David O’Brien of The Athletic) raised some alarms for Braves fans by saying he wasn’t sure if Albies would play again this year before clarifying that because Albies is still feeling discomfort in his injured wrist only when he bats from the left side, the switch-hitter would be able to return if he was willing to bat from the right side exclusively down the stretch. Per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Albies is willing to drop switch-hitting for the time being in order to return to the lineup and hopes to be back sometime next week.

Albies, 27, has batted much better while hitting right-handed throughout his career, including this year where he’s posted a 151 wRC+ against left-handed pitching for the Braves compared to an 80 wRC+ against righties. It’s a similar but less extreme story over his career as a whole, as he’s posted a 146 wRC+ while batting right-handed and a 96 wRC+ while batting left-handed. It won’t be the first time Albies has faced right-handed pitching while as a right-handed batter in his career, although his experience in that regard has been limited to just 14 plate appearances throughout his MLB career. With that being said, that extremely small sample size has seen him find a great deal of success as he’s gone 3-for-11 with three walks and two homers in those handful of trips to the plate.

More from around the NL East…

  • The Mets suffered a bit of an injury scare last night when outfielder Starling Marte was struck by a pitch on the forearm from right-hander Jeff Hoffman in last night’s loss to Philadelphia. Marte remained in the game to run the bases and play the outfield, but manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters (as relayed by SNY) that the veteran was scheduled to undergo “precautionary” x-rays on his forearm to make sure that the 35-year-old hasn’t suffered a more serious injury. Marte has hit a decent .271/.320/.399 in 83 games with the Mets this year but has struggled a bit at the plate since returning from the IL last month, with a lackluster .241/.286/.328 slash line in 17 games since being activated. If Marte misses time, it seems likely that Jesse Winker will slide into a more regular role with the club down the stretch.
  • The Phillies have been without third baseman Alec Bohm since late August due to a strained hand, but it seems that may change in the coming days as manager Rob Thomson recently told reporters (including The Athletic’s Matt Gelb) that Bohm has “shown progress” in his recovery. He’s currently on a rehab assignment at Triple-A but could be back with the big league club as soon as Monday. The return of Bohm to the starting lineup would provide a huge boost for Philadelphia, as with Edmundo Sosa also on the IL (and, coincidentally, joining Bohm on his Triple-A rehab assignment) the big league club has had to rely on a combination of Kody Clemens, Weston Wilson, and Buddy Kennedy at the hot corner in recent weeks. 2024 has been something of a breakout season for Bohm, who has slashed a strong .290/.343/.462 in 131 games this year.

Phillies Activate Alec Bohm, Designate Aramis Garcia For Assignment

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The Phillies announced this morning that they’ve activated third baseman Alec Bohm from the 10-day injured list. Catcher Aramis Garcia was designated for assignment to make room for Bohm on the club’s active roster. Bohm was previously expected to return to action later this week but will now join the team ahead of schedule, batting fifth in today’s starting lineup.

Bohm, 28, has been on the injured list for just over two weeks due to a hand strain. The third baseman has enjoyed something of a breakout season this year, slashing .290/.343/.462 with a 122 wRC+ that stands as the best of his career over a full season. He’s also made major strides defensively at third base, developing from a fringe defender at the position (+1 Outs Above Average, -9 Defensive Runs Saved) in 2023 to a well above average glove (+6 Outs Above Average, +1 Defensive Runs Saved) at the hot corner this year. In all, Bohm’s steps forward on both sides of the ball this year have made him the fourth most valuable third baseman in the sport by fWAR in 2024 behind only Jose Ramirez, Matt Chapman, and Rafael Devers.

As the Phillies wrap up the regular season with an eye toward their third consecutive playoff appearance, the club is surely hoping that Bohm will be at full strength going forward. The infielder began to slump a bit in the weeks leading up to his placement on the injured list, with a lackluster .232/.283/.304 slash line over his final 15 games before being placed on the shelf. With that said, even a somewhat diminished version of Bohm would be a substantial improvement for the Phillies going forward, as an injury to Edmundo Sosa shortly after Bohm’s own injury left the club to cobble together a solution at third base between Kody Clemens, Weston Wilson, and Buddy Kennedy. That experiment hasn’t gone over well, as that trio has slashed a collective .107/.167/.143 since Sosa was placed on the IL earlier this month.

As for Garcia, the 31-year-old has participated in parts of five big league seasons since making his MLB debut with the Giants back in 2018, primarily acting as a reserve catcher who fills in for clubs facing injuries. His longest stint in the majors was with the Reds back in 2022, when he hit a lackluster .213/.248/.259 in 115 trips to the plate across 47 games. Overall, Garcia is a career .211/.248/.325 hitter in the majors. He was added to the Phillies’ roster last week to provide some depth behind Garrett Stubbs while J.T. Realmuto was out of commission due to a day-to-day injury. Realmuto has returned to the lineup in recent days, however, rendering Garcia’s continued presence on the roster unnecessary.

Phillies Outright Nick Nelson

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September 11: Philadelphia announced this evening that Nelson again cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Lehigh Valley. There’s no indication that he’ll elect free agency, though he’ll be a minor league free agent at the end of the year unless the Phils call him back up.

September 7: The Phillies announced a quartet of roster moves in advance of their game with the Marlins, as catcher Aramis Garcia is joining the big league roster after his contract was selected from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.  Right-hander Jose Cuas is also joining the organization on a waiver claim from the Blue Jays and has been assigned to Triple-A.  In corresponding moves, Philadelphia designated right-hander Nick Nelson for assignment and placed infielder Rodolfo Castro on the 60-day injured list.  Castro was first called up from Triple-A before the IL placement, and it was already known that his season would be over after he tore a thumb ligament at the end of August.

Garcia is back in the Show to give the Phillies some extra catching depth since J.T. Realmuto is a little banged up.  Manager Rob Thomson told reporters (including Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer) that Realmuto will need “a couple of days” to rest up after fouling a ball off his knee in yesterday’s game, but the Phils don’t think Realmuto will need to visit the 10-day injured list.  Garcia and Garrett Stubbs will therefore handle catching duties for what the team hopes is just a short time until Realmuto is feeling better.

This is the second time this season that Cuas has changed teams via the waiver wire, as the Blue Jays claimed him off the Cubs’ roster back in June.  Cuas tossed three innings across four appearances for Toronto before the Jays DFA’ed him earlier this week, and the righty has a rough 7.71 ERA in 16 1/3 total innings this season with the Blue Jays and Cubs.  It has been a big step down from the 3.84 ERA Cuas posted over 103 innings with the Royals and Cubs during the 2022-23 seasons, and even that respectable number was undermined by some shaky secondary metrics.

Control problems have contributed to Cuas’ struggles in both the majors and minors this year, as he has a 6.67 ERA across 27 combined Triple-A frames.  Still missing a lot of bats despite those walks, the Phillies will take a look at Cuas and his plus sweeper, and Cuas will essentially replace Nelson as a depth arm.

Nelson was also designated for assignment last month before he cleared waivers and was outrighted to Lehigh Valley.  This prior outright means that Nelson can now decline another outright assignment in favor of free agency, if he is perhaps looking for a fresh start after three seasons with the Phillies.  He pitched 68 2/3 innings over 47 appearances with Philadelphia in 2022 but he has made just five MLB appearances since, totaling 10 2/3 frames at the big league level.  A couple of injuries contributed to some of Nelson’s missed time on the Phils’ roster, but the club seemed to just view Nelson as a depth pitcher, first as a starter in 2023 and then back to relief work this season.

Rays’ Edwin Uceta Suspended Two Games

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4:36pm: The suspension was reduced to two games, reports Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 (X link). Uceta also received an undisclosed fine.

3:56pm: Uceta will not appeal the decision, Cash tells Topkin. The right-hander’s three-game suspension will begin tonight.

2:55pm: Major League Baseball announced this afternoon that Rays righty Edwin Uceta has received a three-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for throwing at Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos in last night’s game. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash has received a one-game suspension. Uceta can appeal if he chooses and would still be eligible to take the field while the appeal process plays out. Cash is serving his suspension tonight, per the league’s announcement. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times first reported the details surrounding the suspensions.

Uceta entered last night’s game in the eighth inning with two men on base and one out in what was then a 4-4 tie. He promptly yielded a two-run double to outfielder Cal Stevenson, struck out catcher Garrett Stubbs, allowed an RBI single to infielder Buddy Kennedy and then served up a two-run homer to Trea Turner. Bryce Harper followed with a double. Uceta then hit Castellanos on the hip with a 96.2 mph sinker on the first pitch of the next plate appearance, prompting both benches to clear (video link). Castellanos and Harper, in particular, were animated with their anger and what they clearly believed to be intent behind the pitch.

Castellanos said after the game that he had “an overwhelming sense that I was about to get drilled,” before even stepping into the batter’s box (link via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). Harper was also vocal in the aftermath, stating that throwing at a player with intent “is not something that you should accept as Major League Baseball” — particularly in an era where today’s pitchers can throw so hard. “We’re in a race right now,” Harper continued. “We’re doing our thing. We’re trying to get into the postseason. A guy wants to drill him. It’s not right.”

Uceta, naturally, maintained while speaking through an interpreter that he did not intend to plunk Castellanos — the first batter he’s hit all season in 36 1/3 innings (138 batters faced) and just the third batter he’s hit in his MLB career (314 plate appearances).

Even with that dismal outing, Uceta’s ERA on the season stands at 1.49. He’s quietly emerged as an important bullpen piece for Tampa Bay since signing a minor league deal in the winter and having his contract selected to the big league roster back in May. Part of Uceta’s success this season has been impeccable command. He’s walked just 4.3% of the opponents he’s faced (against a  massive 37% strikeout rate).

That alone doesn’t signal intent, of course; it was a pressure-filled situation wherein Uceta had missed spots badly on both the double to Stevenson and the home run to Turner. He’s also struggled with command in the past, entering the season with a career 11.9% walk rate. It’s certainly feasible that he was rattled by the moment in an outing where he’d already lacked command, but it’s simultaneously understandable that the Phillies took exception and believed there to be intent.

Regardless, Cash will be absent from tonight’s dugout, and Uceta could miss up to three games. Castellanos thankfully didn’t sustain any type of injury on the play. He remained in the game and is back in tonight’s lineup. Leadoff slugger Kyle Schwarber, who tweaked his elbow on a dive back into first base last night and was set for further evaluation today, was originally in the lineup but was scratched just minutes ago after informing the team of lingering soreness in his elbow (X link via Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Harper will serve as the designated hitter tonight, and Kody Clemens will get the nod at first base.

Phillies Place Alec Bohm On Injured List

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The Phillies placed third baseman Alec Bohm on the 10-day injured list due to a left hand strain, per a team announcement, retroactive to September 3. Fellow infielder Buddy Kennedy is up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his spot on the active roster.

Bohm hasn’t played in a game since August 29, when he departed due to left hand discomfort. X-rays that day were negative, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com (X link), and it seems the club was hoping for a recovery with a few days off. But it appears that he hasn’t bounced back as hoped. Even though he’s already been out of action for a week, he’ll have to miss at least a week more as IL statements can only be backdated by three days.

The Phils aren’t in any danger of missing the playoffs, so they have some wiggle room to be cautious. Their 84-56 record is tied with the Dodgers for best in the National League and has the Phils eight games ahead of Atlanta and the Mets in the East division. They’re also three games up on the Central-leading Brewers, with a bye through the Wild Card round on the line there, as only two of three division winners get to skip the first round.

The games are still meaningful but they won’t be life-or-death situations, so they can afford to give Bohm a little breather and see how he responds with another week of rest. Their lineup will be doubly shorthanded for a while, as they also put outfielder Austin Hays on the IL yesterday due to a kidney infection. It’s unclear how long the club expects to be without Hays, but they will be missing a pair of regulars for the time being, though the Phils will surely be hoping that both are back before the postseason.

Kody Clemens, Edmundo Sosa and Weston Wilson have all seen some time at the hot corner during Bohm’s recent absence, so manager Rob Thomson will have some options in setting his lineups going forward, with Kennedy now in the mix as well. In the outfield, Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas figure to get most of the playing time, with Wilson and Cal Stevenson also outfield-capable options for the skipper to consider.

Nationals Claim Michael Rucker, Designate Travis Blankenhorn

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The Nationals announced Friday that they’ve claimed right-hander Michael Rucker off waivers from the Phillies and opened a spot on the 40-man roster by designating infielder/outfielder Travis Blankenhorn for assignment. Rucker was optioned to Triple-A Rochester. Washington’s 40-man roster remains at capacity.

The 30-year-old Rucker was designated for assignment by the Phillies earlier this week when they selected Nick Nelson’s contract from Triple-A. The Phils picked Rucker up in a cash deal with the Cubs back in February after he’d been designated for assignment in Chicago. He never got into a game with the Phillies in the majors, instead spending most of the season on the 60-day injured list owing to an arterial vasospasm in his right hand. The Phils reinstated and optioned him prior to the trade deadline. He’s pitched 26 minor league innings this season and been tagged for a 6.58 ERA, with the bulk of the damage coming in Triple-A.

Grim as Rucker’s run-prevention has been, his 26.7% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate are both fine marks (particularly the former). He’s also kept the ball on the ground at a strong 45.2% clip. Rucker, however, has been plagued by an astronomical .479 average on balls in play during his time with the IronPigs.

As recently as 2022, Rucker was a solid member of the Cubs’ bullpen. He pitched a career-high 54 2/3 innings and logged a 3.95 ERA with a 21.8% strikeout rate and 8.7% walk rate in that time. His followup effort in 2023 resulted in a more troubling 4.91 ERA in 40 2/3 frames, but his strikeout and walk numbers remained generally serviceable and his grounder rate spiked to a strong 51.4%. Overall, Rucker carries a 4.96 ERA in 123 1/3 innings as a major leaguer.

As for Blankenhorn, he’s spent the past two seasons as a depth option in the Nationals’ system, appearing in a combined 23 games and batting .145/.232/.210 in 69 trips to the plate. Those are obviously woeful numbers but come in a small sample; Blankenhorn popped 23 homers for the Nats’ Rochester affiliate last season while batting .262/.360/.517, and he’s tallied another 26 big flies in Triple-A this year while hitting .238/.322/.499.

Originally a third-round pick by the Twins back in 2015, Blankenhorn has bounced around the diamond in his pro career, seeing time at all of the non-shortstop infield positions and in both outfield corners. He’s a career .154/.230/.264 hitter in exactly 100 big league plate appearances but carries a more productive .254/.343/.489 slash and 74 homers in 363 Triple-A games. This is Blankenhorn’s final minor league option season. He’ll presumably clear waivers and soon become a minor league free agent, whether by rejecting an outright assignment or by exercising that right at season’s end.

Phillies To Promote Seth Johnson

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The Phillies are planning to call up right-hander Seth Johnson to start Sunday’s game against the Marlins, reports Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. It’ll be the big league debut for the 25-year-old righty, whom Philadelphia acquired from the Orioles in exchange for left-hander Gregory Soto prior to the trade deadline. Johnson is already on the 40-man roster, so the Phils will only need to clear space on the active roster to accommodate his promotion.

Selected with the No. 40 overall pick by the Rays in 2019, Johnson has now been dealt twice before making his major league debut. Tampa Bay sent him to the Orioles as part of the three-team deal that brought Jose Siri to the Rays and sent Trey Mancini from the O’s to the Astros.

It’s been a long and injury-paved road to the majors for Johnson. He made nine starts in the summer following his draft season, didn’t pitch in 2020 due to the canceled minor league season, and was limited to 93 innings by an elbow issue in 2021. That elbow injury flared up in 2022 after just seven appearances, requiring Tommy John surgery that shut Johnson down until late in the 2023 campaign.

The 2024 campaign has been the first full, healthy season Johnson has had since being drafted five years ago. He’s looked sharp, pitching to a combined 2.33 earned run average between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. That includes an excellent 1.52 ERA in 23 2/3 innings since being traded from Baltimore to Philadelphia. Johnson had strict workload restrictions early in the season with the O’s, rarely pitching more than four innings in a start. The Phils have slowly taken off the training wheels, so to speak, allowing him to pitch five innings, five innings and six innings across his past three Triple-A appearances. Johnson’s pitch count has climbed as high as 98 in that time, and he’s allowed only one run in that run of three starts.

Baseball America currently ranks Johnson seventh among Phillies farmhands, while FanGraphs lists him eighth and MLB.com tabs him 15th. He’s viewed as a potential mid-rotation starter — one with a heater sitting around 95 mph and a potentially plus slider, with less-impressive but still-developing offerings in his curveball and changeup.

The Phillies’ rotation has at times been as deep as any unit in the game this season. The fifth spot has been an exception since right-hander Spencer Turnbull incurred a lat strain that sent him to the 60-day IL, however. Veteran Taijuan Walker has spent time on the injured list and struggled through the worst season of his career when healthy enough to take the mound. Philly recently dropped him to the bullpen, and they’ll turn to a young arm in his place after optioning another in-house option, right-hander Tyler Phillips, on the heels of his own recent struggles.

The top four spots in the Phils’ rotation are set both this year and next, with each of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez locked into spots. Turnbull is a free agent at season’s end. Walker is signed for another two years, but with Johnson, Phillips and prospects Andrew Painter and Mick Abel among the starting candidates working their way toward the majors, Walker’s long-term outlook has become rather muddled.

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