Phillies Claim Kyle Tyler, DFA Nick Nelson

The Phillies have claimed right-handed pitcher Kyle Tyler off of waivers from the Marlins, the Phillies announced. He was been optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In a corresponding move, fellow right-hander Nick Nelson has been designated for assignment.

Tyler, 27, was designated for assignment on Friday, when the Marlins selected southpaw Kent Emanuel to the 40-man roster. Tyler had pitched 31 2/3 innings over eight appearances (seven starts) for Miami. He had a 5.40 ERA and a 5.11 SIERA. The righty also made 11 appearances (nine starts) for Triple-A Jacksonville with much better results, pitching to a 3.06 ERA and 4.04 FIP. His performance for the Jumbo Shrimp represented a step in the right direction for a pitcher who had a 5.60 ERA over 135 innings last season at Double-A.

Tyler is probably just an organizational depth piece for the Phillies, but that is certainly something the team could use with Ranger Suárez and Taijuan Walker the IL. While Walker and Suárez are on their way back, a little extra pitching depth is always valuable. What’s more, Tyler has another option year remaining, so the Phillies could easily retain him at Triple-A in 2025.

As for Nelson, 28, the right-hander has spent most of the past two seasons in the minors. He was a capable mop-up man for Philadelphia in 2022, but he struggled to transition back to a starting role at Triple-A in 2023. Over 26 appearances (five starts) with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year, he has a 7.52 ERA and a 6.32 FIP. The Phillies clearly have not trusted him to pitch meaningful major league innings over the past two years, so it was only a matter of time before his roster spot went to a fresh arm.