Phillies Acquire Jonah Dipoto From Royals
The Royals announced this morning that they’ve traded minor league pitcher Jonah Dipoto to the Phillies for cash considerations. According to the MLB.com transaction log, Philadelphia assigned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The son of former MLB pitcher and current Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, Jonah is a 27-year-old righty reliever. Kansas City selected him out of UC San Diego in the 35th round of the 2019 draft. Despite the modest draft stock, Dipoto has pitched his way to the upper minors. He turned in a 3.55 earned run average in 50 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A a year ago. Dipoto fanned an above-average 26% of opponents, though he also walked almost 15% of batters faced.
Dipoto has had a shakier start to the 2024 campaign. He has allowed 11 runs (10 earned) over 14 1/3 innings for the Royals’ top farm team in Omaha. He has given up a trio of homers with a 13:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Phils will hope that a change of scenery at least allows him to find the bat-missing promise he showed a season ago. While Dipoto has never gotten much prospect fanfare, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs credited him with a plus slider and ranked him 38th in the K.C. system last summer.
There’s no cost for Philadelphia beyond what is likely nominal cash considerations. Dipoto won’t require a spot on their 40-man because he hadn’t been on the Kansas City roster. He went unselected in last winter’s Rule 5 draft and would be eligible again next December if Philadelphia doesn’t select his contract.
Latest On Taijuan Walker
- Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker departed his start on Thursday after taking a hard-hit comebacker off his foot. While testing made clear that he had managed to avoid a break, Walker is nonetheless dealing with a bruise in his left big toe and it’s not yet clear if the veteran will make his next start, which is tentatively scheduled for this coming Wednesday. Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays that manager Rob Thomson told reporters this afternoon that he’s “optimistic” about Walker’s ability to make that start, though the club won’t be sure until they see how he reacts to a light bullpen session tomorrow. In the event that Walker is unable to return to the rotation for Wednesday’s start, the Phillies figure to slot right-hander Spencer Turnbull back into the rotation mix.
MLBTR Podcast: Paul Skenes, The Prospect Hype Machine, Willson Contreras And Rising Catcher’s Interference Rates
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The Pirates promoting Paul Skenes and the pros and cons of the prospect hype machine (1:45)
- MLB’s new deal with Roku for Sunday games (12:55)
- The injury of Willson Contreras of the Cardinals and rising rates of catcher’s interference (17:50)
- The White Sox trade Robbie Grossman to the Rangers for Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa (25:40)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- If the Astros continue this horrible start through the summer months, who are some players that they might swap? (33:15)
- With the Phillies having one of the best rotations in baseball and six pitchers deep, it seems to make a guy like Mick Abel expendable. Do you think the Phillies possibly move him at the deadline? Say for a bat to possibly platoon with Nick Castellanos in right? (38:45)
- Is there any chance the Tigers may try and sell high on Tarik Skubal? He’s an ace and it would take a lot to pry him away but Detroit just doesn’t seem like a place that’ll pay him the big bucks under Chris Ilitch’s regime. Not sure his value will ever be higher especially if they continue to play how they have in recent weeks. (46:00)
Check out our past episodes!
- Luis Arráez To San Diego, Other Marlins Trade Candidates And Discussing A Potential Automated Strike Zone – listen here
- Mailbag: José Abreu Demoted, The Positional Surplus Myth, Erick Fedde’s Trade Value And More – listen here
- Mailbag: Cardinals’ Troubles, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Bad Umpiring And More – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
Luis Ortiz Resuming Throwing Program
- Phillies reliever Luis Ortiz is set to restart his throwing program today after he was shut down due to right shoulder inflammation. “We don’t think it’s anything, but we’re just taking it easy on him,” Phils manager Rob Thomson told MLB.com and other media. A sprained ankle in his first game of the season sent Ortiz to the 15-day IL back on March 31, and he made Triple-A rehab appearances on both April 23 and 25 before his new shoulder issue popped up. Ortiz had a 3.32 ERA in 19 relief innings for Philadelphia last season, amidst many shuttles up and down from the majors and Triple-A.
Phillies Acquire Tyler Gilbert From Reds
The Phillies have acquired left-hander Tyler Gilbert from the Reds, reports Matt Gelb of The Athletic on X. Since Gelb uses the word “purchased,” it seems the Reds will receive cash considerations in return. The southpaw wasn’t on the Reds’ 40-man roster and therefore won’t need a roster spot with the Phillies.
Gilbert, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Reds in the offseason. He has made seven appearances, three of them starts, logging 11 2/3 innings. He has an awful earned run average of 13.11 so far, though that’s obviously a tiny sample and there are some other numbers that are more favorable.
The lefty has a massive .545 batting average on balls in play so far and 43.3% strand rate, both of which are unsustainably unlucky. His 20.6% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate are close to average and he hasn’t allowed a home run yet this year, so his FIP is actually 2.94 in his brief 2024 showing. Regardless, it seems the Reds are willing to move on take the cash while letting the Phils take a chance on him.
Gilbert has 91 2/3 innings of major league experience, working as a swingman with the Diamondbacks over the previous three seasons, famously throwing a no-hitter in his first career start. He currently sports a 4.32 ERA in his career, with a 17.1% strikeout rate and 7.5% walk rate. He was outrighted by the Snakes at the end of last year, which led to his minor league deal with the Reds.
The Phillies don’t really need starting depth in the short-term. Taijuan Walker recently returned from the injured list, which bumped Spencer Turnbull to the bullpen despite having a 1.67 ERA on the year. The rest of the rotation consists of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez. There’s also Max Castillo, who is on the 40-man roster and starting in Triple-A. Prospect Mick Abel isn’t yet on the roster but is also starting at the Triple-A level. Andrew Painter could be rehabbing at some point later this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July of last year.
But pitching depth can often be thinned out in a hurry, which is why there’s the old saw that you can never have too much. It’s also possible that the Phils may envision Gilbert focusing more on relief work as a way to unlock another gear with him. If he cracks the roster at any point, he still has one option year remaining and less than two years of service time.
Latest On Alec Bohm
- The Phillies suffered a major injury scare last night when third baseman Alec Bohm exited the club’s win over the Giants with right hip tightness. The move was labeled precautionary by manager Rob Thomson (as noted by Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer) in the aftermath of yesterday’s game and Bohm himself indicated to reporters (including Coffey) that he isn’t particularly concerned about the issue. That Bohm seemingly won’t require a trip to the injured list is surely a massive relief for Phillies fans, as the club lost Trea Turner to the shelf yesterday and he had been the club’s second best hitter behind Bohm this year. MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald recently took a look at Bohm’s hot start this season, during which he’s hit a whopping .364/.435/.579 in 138 trips to the plate.
Phillies Place Trea Turner On 10-Day Injured List
1:43PM: The strain is a significant one, as Turner told The Athletic’s Matt Gelb and other reporters that he’ll miss a minimum of six weeks.
12:56PM: The Phillies announced that Trea Turner has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain. Infielder Kody Clemens was called up from Triple-A to take Turner’s place on the active roster.
The placement isn’t a surprise, as Turner’s injury forced him to make an early departure from yesterday’s 4-3 Phillies win over the Giants. In the fourth inning, Turner was on second base when Jordan Hicks threw a fourth ball to batter Bryce Harper, and the ball bounced off catcher Tom Murphy‘s glove for a passed ball. Turner hustled down to third base and then all the way home to score on the play, but at a cost, as Edmundo Sosa took over at shortstop for Turner in the top of the fifth.
After getting off to an infamously slow start in 2023 (the first year of his 11-year, $300MM deal with Philadelphia), Turner has been far better in the early going of the 2024 campaign. The shortstop is hitting .343/.392/.460 with two home runs, 27 runs scored, and 10 steals in 11 attempts. A whopping .421 BABIP and a .379 wOBA that is far above his .330 xwOBA indicate that Turner has enjoyed some good fortune in posting his bottom-line numbers, even though Turner’s excellent speed has always led to strong BABIP results.
Turner has been one of the chief reasons why the Phillies have a league-high 22 wins. There’s no easy way for the Phils to replace that production, and the team can only hope Turner’s strain is minor enough that he can return quickly and fully recovered. Sosa will get most of the playing time at shortstop in Turner’s absence, with Clemens stepping into Sosa’s role as the team’s utilityman. Philadelphia could also possibly use Bryson Stott at shortstop and deploy Whit Merrifield more often at second base, though Merrifield is off to a slow start at the plate.
Ricardo Pinto Elects Free Agency
TODAY: Pinto has elected free agency, the Phillies announced this evening. He’ll return to the open market with an eye toward finding a fresh deal elsewhere.
May 2: The Phillies announced that right-hander Ricardo Pinto has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A LeHigh Valley. This is his second career outright, meaning he has the right to reject this assignment and elect free agency, though it’s not yet clear if he’s chosen to do so.
Pinto, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Phils in the winter and was added to their roster a few days into the season. He made six appearances, tossing 10 2/3 innings, but allowed 13 earned runs in that time. He struck out eight batters and walked five.
He likely didn’t deserve to have results quite that bad. His 59.1% ground ball rate was quite strong while his .405 batting average on balls in play and 51.7% strand rate are both on the unlucky side. His 6.04 FIP and 4.19 SIERA each paint a nicer portrait than Pinto’s ERA. Regardless, he was bumped off the Phillies’ roster and none of the 29 other teams decided to take a chance on him. He previously pitched in the big leagues in 2017 and 2019 but those stints didn’t go well either, so he now has a career ERA of 9.07 in 42 2/3 career innings.
As mentioned, Pinto has the right to elect free agency but he’s listed on the roster of the IronPigs, which seems to suggest he’ll stick with the Phils as non-roster depth.
Phillies Considering Multiple Ways To Keep Spencer Turnbull In Rotation Mix
Right-hander Spencer Turnbull has been a revelation in the Phillies’ rotation after filling in for the injured Taijuan Walker to begin the season. While Walker’s return from the injured list might have seemed like an obvious means of pushing Turnbull back into a long relief role earlier in the season, Turnbull has pitched so well that the Phils likely feel they can’t take him out of his current spot.
Indeed, manager Rob Thomson told the Phillies beat yesterday that the club will consider creative means of keeping Turnbull in the mix — be it piggybacking him with another starter or alternating between Sanchez and Turnbull in the fifth spot of the rotation depending on the opponent they’re facing (links via Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia and Todd Zolecki of MLB.com).
The Phillies’ rotation, as a whole, has been remarkable this season. Philadelphia starters rank first in the majors with 190 2/3 innings pitched, second with a 2.50 ERA, second with a 26% strikeout rate, tenth with a 7% walk rate and third with a 52% ground-ball rate. Their collective 3.28 FIP is also second-best in MLB, and Phillies starters lead the league with a 3.22 SIERA. By virtually any measure, they’ve been outstanding.
Righties Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola are both out to excellent starts. Wheeler, in particular, is sitting on a sub-2.00 ERA with his typical blend of plus strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates. Nola is sporting a 3.20 mark with a roughly average strikeout rate and a strong 7% walk rate. He’s been a bit homer-prone for what’s now a second straight season, but he’s generally pitched well in the first season of his new seven-year contract.
Left-hander Ranger Suarez has arguably been the team’s most effective starter. He touts a team-best 1.32 ERA through his first six turns on the mound. He’s logged 41 innings with a plus 27.8% strikeout rate and elite walk and ground-ball rates (3.5% and 60.8%, respectively). He won’t sustain a .189 BABIP and 92.9% strand rate, but the skill components of his performance have been terrific.
Fifth starter Cristopher Sanchez has been solid, recording a 3.68 ERA in 29 1/3 frames. His 22% strikeout rate is barely south of average, and while his 9.8% walk rate is on the high side, he’s helped mitigate some of those free passes with a massive 62.2% grounder rate. Righty Taijuan Walker just returned from the injured list and was hit hard in his first start, but he was a quality innings eater for the Phils last year (4.32 ERA in 31 starts) and is being paid $18MM this season to fill that role again.
Turnbull’s run-prevention thus far is right up there with Wheeler and Suarez. Through six starts, he’s pitched 32 1/3 innings of 1.67 ERA ball with an excellent 28.7% strikeout rate against a 7.9% walk rate that’s about a percentage point better than average. He’s not sitting at Suarez/Sanchez levels with his ground-ball rate, but his mark of 49.4% is still comfortably north of the 43% league average.
A piggyback situation with Sanchez or some kind of alternating fifth starter role could make particular sense for Turnbull, who missed the 2022 season recovering from Tommy John surgery and pitched only 57 innings between the big leagues and minors last year. At some point, his workload could become a factor, as his body simply hasn’t endured a full season of innings since the 2019 campaign, when he started 30 games for the Tigers and pitched 148 1/3 innings.
The more straightforward solution would be to go to a six-man rotation, but Thomson has suggested in the past that the team doesn’t consider that a likely arrangement. However they proceed, it seems Turnbull — who has already wildly outperformed his modest one-year, $2MM deal — will continue to factor prominently into the team’s pitching staff as he gears up for what seems likely to be a much more lucrative trip through free agency again next winter.
Phillies Select José Ruiz
The Phillies announced that right-hander Yunior Marté has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation. Right-hander José Ruiz was selected to the roster in a corresponding move. The Phils already had a vacancy on the 40-man since they designated Ricardo Pinto for assignment earlier this week.
Ruiz, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Phillies in the offseason. He’s already tossed 11 innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley with a 1.64 earned run average. He has struck out 31% of batters faced so far while walking just 7.1%.
That’s a small sample size, of course, but Ruiz also has some decent work on his major league track record. He tossed more than 60 innings for the White Sox in both 2021 and 2022, with a combined 3.80 ERA in that time. His 10.8% walk rate in that stretch was a tad high but he also punched out batters at a strong 24.4% clip.
Last year wasn’t as successful for the righty. He was lit up in his first four outings for the Sox, allowing nine earned runs, and got designated for assignment. He was flipped to the Diamondbacks and tossed 40 2/3 innings for that club with a middling 4.43 ERA. He was outrighted off their roster at the end of July and spent the last few months of the year at Triple-A Reno, posting a 4.10 ERA in 26 1/3 innings.
He reached free agency at the end of the year, which led to his minor league deal with the Phils. Since he’s been posting good results, he’ll get a chance to come back to the majors and fill in for Marté. Ruiz is out of options and therefore can’t be easily sent back down to the minors later in the year. But he has less than four years of MLB service time, meaning he could be retained beyond this season if he sticks on the roster all year long.