The Phillies announced after tonight’s loss that they have designated left-hander Cesar Jimenez for assignment in order to clear a spot on the active roster for right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, who will make his big league debut this weekend.
The DFA is probably particularly difficult news for Jimenez, who just tossed 2 1/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief with three strikeouts. He’d previously appeared in just two games with the Phils this season and tossed a scoreless inning.
The 30-year-old Jimenez has been up and down with the Phillies over the past three seasons despite strong bottom-line results. Including tonight’s scoreless appearance, he’s worked to a 2.48 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings, although his 17 walks in that time are a bit troublesome. Jimenez has been designated for assignment in the past and accepted multiple outright assignments, so the Phillies will hope that he does the same in order to remain with the organization. However, he will of course have the option of declining an outright assignment in favor of free agency if he once again clears waivers.
Eickhoff, 25, was acquired by the Phillies in the Cole Hamels trade with the Rangers. In three Triple-A starts since joining the organization, he’s notched a 2.49 ERA with a 19-to-3 K/BB ratio in 21 2/3 innings. Overall, Eickhoff, who will make his Major League debut this weekend, has a 3.85 ERA with 8.5 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9 in 133 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level this season.
Better solutions would have been to either release Jerome Williams after that atrocity of a start or to skip Morgan in the rotation and send him back down until the rosters expand in a week and a half.
Jimenez has not been given a good enough chance and I believe he would be able to thrive with a legitimate chance in the bullpen.
Agree. Williams should have been placed on the DL to eliminate the need for a move. Jimenez has done everything they could have asked of him. For a team that supposedly values loyalty, they have none.
What a joke. Williams should have been sent packing WEEKS AGO not Jimenez. Typical phillies way of doing business
Please let the Rockies claim this guy. I don’t care about peripherals, but even if he regresses a little he would be the best guy in the bullpen.
Doesn’t this: “The 30-year-old Jimenez has been up and down with the Phillies over the past three seasons despite strong bottom-line results.”
contradict this: “Eickhoff, 25, was acquired by the Phillies in the Cole Hamels trade with the Rangers.”?
Hate to nitpick but I know Eickhoff is new as of the Hamels deal. But is the first line supposed to read up and down with the Phillies over the past three starts…OR up and down over the last three seasons with the Rangers.
Thanks
Jimenez has been up and down for three seasons.
Eickhoff was acquired last month.
The sentences in question are referring to different players.