The Phillies announced tonight they’ve returned relievers Nick Duron and Bubby Rossman to the minor leagues. Duron heads to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, while Rossman goes back to Double-A Reading. Both players had their contracts selected as designated COVID-19 substitutes for the Phils’ set in Toronto, so neither will occupy a spot on the 40-man roster.
Philadelphia also returned catcher Rafael Marchán and optioned infielder Will Toffey to Triple-A. Those players will remain on the 40-man — Marchán because he’d been added to the roster well before his latest callup, Toffey because he wasn’t designated as a substitute player upon being selected to the big leagues today.
Duron and Rossman each soaked up a mop-up inning during tonight’s 8-2 loss to the Jays. The former worked around a pair of hits to record a scoreless frame. Rossman served up a two-run homer to Teoscar Hernández. It was a purposefully brief promotion for both as the Phils navigated the loss of four players for the series because of travel restrictions. Both righties got the opportunity to make their major league debuts, and they’ll head back to the minors hoping to earn a more lasting look at some point down the line.
The moves clear roster space for the reinstatement of the four players on the restricted list. Each of Kyle Gibson, Aaron Nola, Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto will be permitted to rejoin the club for their weekend series in Miami.
Bad things happen to the Phillies in Toronto. That was a pathetic showing.
Playing a team that just fired their manager is difficult. Teams usually get jacked up for a bit (as when the Phillies fired Girardi).
Think they’re beginning to fall apart though. Too many injuries; especially with the pitchers. This is what happens with veteran teams: injuries happen more often and take longer to heal. Add that the Phillies lack depth everywhere.
Rob Thomson gave them a shot in the arm and held the team up for 6 weeks. But there are simply too many things wrong with that roster and the capabilities of the players on it. They need more complete players.
One has to take a step back and look at the rosters of MLB teams. Most are awful. Expansion has watered down the quality of the players. The FO’s and their daily transactions have made a mockery of these being major league teams (i.e. the players being the best of the best). Half the players on MLB rosters at any one day during the season are there because they can do one thing well. The job of the manager is to get them in the game for a matchup to do that thing.
The Phillies are beginning to look like the White Sox-lite.
The Phillies are notoriously streaky. This isn’t the end. They’ll get hot again. I just hope it doesn’t take too long. Whatever your views are on the vaccine, the unvaxxed Phillies killed the team in this series. They had no chance. Hopefully they get back to their winning ways, but unfortunately….the Phillies are headed to Miami…where they always struggle.
Their Ace getting shelled for 6 runs killed them as well.
I think it’s more to the fact of their notoriously streaky nature that’s killing them and not the unvaxxed players for a 2 game series
The rotation was moved around previously knowing Nola and Gibson couldn’t pitch in Toronto. Moving Wheeler around could have potentially messed him up for a bit. But more importantly, the offense was terrible. They couldn’t afford to lose Realmuto that series. So yes, I do put some of the blame there, but to your point, they got to start hitting consistently. Harper, Hoskins and Schwarber cannot do it all. Offense needs to step up.
Let’s be honest – many (most?) MLB teams would be struggling when their best player went down for a couple of months, and then 40% of the starting rotation went down on top of that. It is certainly frustrating that Castellanos and Realmuto are in prolonged slumps,
As far as the pitching injuries, injuries happen. I don’t think the Phils adequately planned for rotation spots 7-8 (Falter was 6), Moreover, relievers are notoriously unpredictable, and injuries are part of that unpredictability. Modern teams – and this is good and not so good teams – make many transactions with their pen and utilty players It’s a fact of life these days.
I don’t entirely buy that expansion is the root of all evil. Teams were added, but there are many more sources of talent, too. There were always bad players. There is more of a hyper-focus on them now. There are more stats. information is much more immediate, and the money draws more attention.
Curious what move is made to open a 40 spot for Toffey. I think they still need one more.
I’m likely mistaken, and I’m sure someone here will correct me, but I thought Toffey was on it already. Cheers regardless.
Sorry, DS.
I didn’t refresh my phone prior to the writing, so I didn’t see the update on the article. I always respect your views.
Cheers
Can’t blame ya. These rules are confusing.
When all this is over, I wonder how many players there will be that got their ONLY chance in the majors due to Covid. Could be a new Moonlight Graham where he goes on to become a great doctor or something. Bubby Rossman has a pretty interesting name like Graham.
Bubby Rossman sounds like a deadball era name.
For the record, his real name is Charles.
Duron and Rossman can always carry the mantle of ex-Major leaguers from this time forward. Toffey not so much because he didn’t get in the ballgame.
Eflin is a week to week suspect. Can he be a trade deadline prop?