The Phillies have made a series of roster moves today (per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb), activating newly acquired pitchers Heath Hembree, Brandon Workman, and David Hale, along with outfielder Adam Haseley, who returns from the injured list. In turn, pitchers Cole Irvin and Connor Brogdon have been optioned and Jay Bruce was placed on the 10-day injured list. Relief pitcher Deolis Guerra was designated for assignment.
Hembree, Workman, and Hale are the fruits of two Friday trades with the Red Sox and Yankees, and the trio will hopefully offer a meaningful upgrade to a Philadelphia bullpen that has thus far stumbled to a 7.97 ERA, by far the worst mark in baseball.
While Workman’s 4.05 ERA is nothing special, his peripheral numbers give him a 2.57 FIP, which is just a hair off the 2.46 mark he posted a year ago, when he was quietly one of the American League’s most productive relievers. He brings top-notch strikeout prowess to the table, with walks representing his biggest weakness.
Hembree should bring some much-needed stability to the Philly bullpen, after contributing five years of consistently solid production for recent Red Sox teams. Hale has the capability to pitch multiple innings and can be deployed in long relief. He’s struck out 7 batters in 6 innings for the Yankees this year.
Although the Phillies will send one outfielder to the injured list, with Bruce’s nagging left quad injury now warranting an IL stint, they’ll welcome another outfielder back, with Haseley recovered from the wrist sprain that forced him to the sideline on August 13.
As for Guerra, the Phillies will have a week to determine their course of action for the 31-year-old right-hander, who has struggled out of the gates, allowing three home runs in his first 7 1/3 innings of work.
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I hope Workman has a long n rewarding career in Philly. He was a loyal player contributing to both championships. I wish him well.
thank goodness Guerra is gone. losing Seabold and Russ waw worth the arms we added and getting rid of Guerra and Pivetta while staying under the cap.
How old does he have to be? Originally signed in 2005. Traded by the mets as part of a package to get Johan. He’s had 15 years to figure this out, how is it that teams can’t seem to realize he is what he is going to be
No cap in baseball.
Can Kingery to the bench now?
Phillies are still going to go 30-30.
Heck, I’d be happy with a .500 season compared to how they’re playing now
Optimistic for sure.
I’d love to see it, and that would put them in contention in a weird year. Remember – a team is in the playoffs if they finish better than three other teams in their division. .500 is that breakeven point right now in the NL East. The Phils, for all of their struggles, are only 2 games out of the playoffs. In a year where a large chunk of games are in division, one good winning streak moves you up the standings pretty quickly.
30-30 this year is a playoff team. I’d sign up for that. I think they are a sub .500 team sadly. Lots of talent, but huge weaknesses.
At least the Phillies get 3 decent arms in the mix, funny how they’ll become the top arms below Neris before they lace their cleats tonight…?
How could Klentak have thought rolling with the original 8 was a good idea? I know bullpens are a fickle lot, but expecting all of them to produce? And please don’t mention Robertson/Dominguez, as some have, they were NEVER on the board for 2020. As a decades long homer, at least this is a step in the right decoration!
Time for Middleton and Gilliam, with Girardi having significant input as well, start interviewing replacements for Klentak and MacFail. Their only chance — and it’s a small one — to retain Realmuto is to loudly and clearly signal the organization’s intention to prioritize pitching and become something more than a .500 Club in ‘21 and beyond.
*Gillick (darn spellcheck)
I’m fine with Girardi making suggestions, but significant involvement is a horrible idea. It NEVER works well to have a subordinate involved in the hiring of their own boss. You want a GM with authority, not a GM beholden to their own employee.
Also, not sure I think having Gillick too involved is a good idea. I believe he was the one pushing for McPhail.
Wow. Workman fits right in. Blew one in his first night.
that was 100% on Hector for putting Workman in that situation.
I would agree, but Workman looked terrible in the 9th as well. That was all him. I’m not going to jump on him for one game, but the fact is the Phillies last 8 losses were all blown leads. They now have the highest bullpen era EVER.