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Phillies Announce World Series Roster

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The Phillies announced their 26-man roster for the World Series.  Aaron Nola will start Game 1 tonight against the Astros.

Two changes were made to the group that defeated the Padres in the NLCS.  Right-hander Nick Nelson and infielder Nick Maton have been added to the roster, replacing left-hander Bailey Falter and outfielder Dalton Guthrie.  Nelson was on the NLDS roster in place of the then-injured David Robertson, but Nelson will now take the spot of Falter, who was rostered for the entirety of Philadelphia’s postseason run.  Maton is back on the roster for the first time since the Wild Card Series, as Guthrie had been added for the NLDS and NLCS.

Neither Nelson or Maton have seen any action to date in the postseason, and Guthrie had one appearance as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement late in Game 3 of the NLDS.  Falter had the most prominent appearance as the starter of Game 4 of the NLCS, though it was slated to be more of an opener role.  Falter ended up retiring only two batters and was charged with four runs, though the Phillies rebounded from an early deficit for a 10-6 victory.

With the Astros so deep in right-handed bats, the Phillies felt the right-handed Nelson was the better option than the southpaw Falter, even though Nelson’s splits indicate that he has been slightly better against left-handed batters during his relatively brief (103 2/3 IP from 2020-22) career in the majors.  Likewise, the left-handed hitting Maton actually has better splits against lefties than righties over his 216 career plate appearances, but he’ll get the nod over Guthrie (a right-handed hitter).

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Phillies Recall Bailey Falter

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The Phillies have recalled southpaw Bailey Falter from Triple-A, per the team. In a corresponding move, JoJo Romero was optioned to Triple-A.

This is a small roster move for the Phillies that nevertheless represents a larger problem for the roster: starting rotation depth. For most of this season, the Phillies five-man rotation of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Kyle Gibson, Zach Eflin, and Ranger Suarez has been healthy and effective. Phillies’ starters rank first in the Majors by the measure of fWAR. But at the end of June, both Suarez and Eflin landed on the injured list. Suarez is now back, but as for Eflin, questions remain.

The Phillies have no timetable for when Eflin might return to the active roster, per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb. Eflin’s dealing with a knee that’s twice been surgically repaired in the last six years. Eflin’s timetable could swing the Phillies decision-making strategy regarding the upcoming trade deadline, notes Gelb. If he’s not looking any better in the next week so, Philadelphia could feel encouraged to make a move for a starting pitcher.

The NL East has become a bit of a two-team conversation between the Mets and Braves, but the Phillies still have time to elbow their way into the race. If nothing else, they’re firmly in contention for a wild card spot. This team has been pushing hard for years to make the postseason, and there’s no reason to think they’re going to take their foot off the gas now. If indeed they are intent on making a postseason run, then acquiring some rotation insurance should be pretty high up on their list of trade deadline targets.

For now, Falter will step into the rotation. The 25-year-old lefty has made nine appearances for the Phillies this season, five of them starts, with a 4.82 ERA/5.37 FIP across 28 innings. He’s been stellar through seven starts in Triple-A, posting a 1.56 ERA/2.46 FIP over 34 2/3 innings.

Phillies Designate Oscar Mercado For Assignment

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The Phillies announced that outfielder Oscar Mercado has been designated for assignment in order to open a spot on the roster for southpaw Bailey Falter, who has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start today’s game. Mercado had only been claimed off waivers from the Guardians a few days prior and struck out in his lone plate appearance with Philadelphia.

At the time of the original waiver claim, it looked as though the 27-year-old Mercado might be in line for a legitimate audition with the Phils, who will be without Bryce Harper for more than a month and who have seen both Mickey Moniak and Odubel Herrera struggle considerably of late. Mercado’s struggles at the plate in Cleveland over the past three years have been glaring, but he’s an above-average outfielder capable of playing all three spots — a skill set the Phillies sorely lack at present.

We’re not that far removed from the 2019 season, wherein Mercado finished eighth in AL Rookie of the Year voting on the heels of a solid .269/.318/.443 batting line through 115 games in Cleveland. He tallied 15 homers, 25 doubles, three triples and 15 steals to go along with strong defense and, at the time, looked to have cemented himself in the outfield there.

Instead, Mercado’s bat has curiously eroded. He’s batted just .198/.254/.331 since Opening Day 2020, and it turns out he won’t get an opportunity to right the ship with the Phillies after all. He’ll now either be traded, placed on outright waivers or released at some point in the next seven days (although the latter option seems rather unlikely). Mercado has not been outrighted previously in his career, so if he does go unclaimed this time around, the Phils would be able to send him outright to Triple-A and retain his rights without dedicating a 40-man roster spot to him.

Injury Notes: Eflin, Brantley, Woodruff, Polanco

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The Phillies placed starter Zach Eflin on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 26, with a bruised right knee. Outfielder Oscar Mercado, claimed off waivers from the Guardians yesterday, has been added to the active roster in a corresponding move. Eflin told reporters he’s hopeful he could return after a minimal IL stay, which would only cost him two starts (via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). The 28-year-old underwent surgery on both knees back in 2016, and he underwent another procedure to correct patellar issues in his right knee last September. His current injury doesn’t seem to be anywhere near as concerning, but the Phillies figure to be particularly cautious in bringing him back given that history.

An impending free agent, Eflin has made 13 starts this season. He owns a 4.37 ERA over 68 innings, striking out 19.6% of opposing hitters against a minuscule 5.3% walk rate. That kind of strike-throwing stability has made the former Padres farmhand a reliable member of the Philadelphia rotation for the past six-plus years. The Phils plan to recall left-hander Bailey Falter to start Friday night’s game in Eflin’s place, tweets Matt Gelb of the Athletic.

Some other injured list moves from around the game:

  • The Astros placed left fielder Michael Brantley on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 27, due to right shoulder discomfort. Chas McCormick, who’d been optioned over the weekend, has been recalled to take his place on the active roster. (Position players typically need to spend a minimum of ten days in the minors after being optioned, but they can be recalled earlier if replacing an injured player). Brantley downplayed  any long-term concerns, telling reporters (including Brian McTaggart of MLB.com) he was hopeful he could make it back after a brief stint. The 35-year-old continues to perform very well at the plate, carrying a .288/.370/.416 line through 277 plate appearances this season.
  • The Brewers welcomed a pair of key contributors back from the injured list this evening. Righty Brandon Woodruff and second baseman Kolten Wong have each been reinstated, with Trevor Kelley and Pablo Reyes optioned out in corresponding moves. Woodruff will get the start during today’s game with the Rays, while Wong steps back in at the keystone. It’s the first MLB start in a month for Woodruff, who’s been out while dealing with a high ankle sprain and some hand numbness stemming from Raynaud’s syndrome. Wong has been out for three weeks on account of a calf strain.
  • Between games of today’s doubleheader with the Guardians, the Twins brought back second baseman Jorge Polanco from the injured list. Outfielder Mark Contreras was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul to open active roster space. The switch-hitting Polanco is hitting fifth for the nightcap against Cleveland. He missed a little less than two weeks with some lower back tightness. Through 250 plate appearances, Polanco is hitting .245/.340/.389 with seven home runs. His return figures to push Luis Arraez back to first base and designated hitter, perhaps freeing Alex Kirilloff to see more time in left field. Minnesota lost primary left fielder Trevor Larnach to a core muscle injury over the weekend; he’s undergoing surgery and expected to miss six weeks.

Phillies Activate Mickey Moniak, Option Bailey Falter

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8:04PM: “I’m going to play [Moniak] a lot” in center field, Phillies manager Joe Girardi told MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki and other reporters, adding that Herrera could get some corner-outfield duty.

1:28PM: The Phillies have activated outfielder Mickey Moniak from the 10-day IL, the team announced today. The move follows an announcement that left-hander Bailey Falter was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following last night’s game against the Mets.

Moniak has yet to make his season debut after suffering a fracture in his right hand in the Phillies’ final game of the spring. The top overall pick in the 2016 amateur draft has struggled to match the expectations placed on a 1-1, logging a relatively pedestrian triple-slash of .255/.303/.406 in parts of six minor league seasons and a meager .128/.241/.192 across 55 plate appearances in the bigs, but he was the front-runner to take over the everyday center field job prior to the injury.

That job, covered thus far by a rotating cast that includes Odubel Herrera, Roman Quinn, Matt Vierling, and Simon Muzziotti, could still be his for the taking, though a recent hot streak from Herrera has pushed his season line (.270/.298/.494) much further into playable territory. Still, even with that recent boost, Phillies center fielders boast a combined wRC+ of only 73 — sixth-worst in the majors — and a combined batting line of only .218/.272/.346.

Even with Herrera proving capable cover in center of late, the injury woes of right fielder-turned-DH Bryce Harper have placed manager Joe Girardi in something of a bind. Due to a tear in his UCL that precludes him from throwing but not swinging a bat, the 2015 and 2021 NL MVP has been relegated to DH duties, forcing both of the Phillies’ defensively limited offseason outfield acquisitions — Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber — to play the field, a major contributing factor to the Phils’ worst-in-the-majors rankings in both outs above average (-20) and runs above average (-16).

Both Castellanos and Schwarber have contributed with the bat in Philadelphia, though neither has set the world on fire. Schwarber, who’s .181/.301/.398 batting line showcases an abysmal batting average offset by strong power and on-base skills, could be a candidate to take an occasional seat should Moniak prove himself capable at the plate. Moniak could also be used a defensive replacement in late-inning situations. Whether he’s deployed in this fashion or given a real chance to dislodge Herrera will likely go a long way toward showing the extent to which Phillies brass still view him as a serious prospect.

Falter, who’s posted a 4.20 ERA in 15 innings across six games (two starts), will likely be given the chance to stretch out as a starter in the minors. While he’s had mixed results in the bigs, the 25-year-old has been lights out in parts of two seasons in Triple-A, logging a 1.32 ERA while striking out 39.6% of the batters he’s faced across 41 innings.

COVID IL Notes: Wheeler, Arauz, Sosa, Wainwright

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Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, who’d been on the COVID IL since Sunday, has been cleared to rejoin the team and will start tonight’s game against the Dodgers, reports Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Enquirer. To make room for Wheeler on the active roster, the Phillies optioned left-hander Bailey Falter to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. It’s a timely return for the Phillies, who’ll avoid a crunch in rotation following a pair of rainouts and a Sunday doubleheader against the Mets last weekend. Even with Wheeler’s return, the rotation is still down a man with Zach Eflin still on the COVID list. However, the club has an off-day on Monday, meaning they can survive with four starters for a couple of turns through the rotation. After five starts this year, Wheeler’s ERA is sitting at 4.10, with a 22.5% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate.

Rounding up the latest virus-related transactions…

  • The Red Sox announced that they have reinstated Jonathan Arauz from the COVID-related IL. To make room on the 40-man roster, left-hander Josh Taylor has been transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. Taylor has somewhat quietly become an important part of the Red Sox bullpen. Over the previous three seasons, he’s thrown 102 1/3 innings with a 3.69 ERA, 29.4% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate. He’s gradually earned himself some higher-leverage outings, notching 15 holds and a save last year. However, he began this year on the injured list due to back soreness. He began a rehab assignment last month, though that was paused after the issue lingered. The Red Sox evidently don’t think he’s close to a return, based on today’s transaction. Taylor will be eligible to return 60 days from his original placement on the IL, meaning he could be back in early June, though the club hasn’t provided any timetable for his next steps.
  • The Cardinals announced that Edmundo Sosa was activated from the COVID IL today. Kramer Robertson was optioned in a corresponding move. With the recent demotion of Paul DeJong, there’s an opening for Sosa to take over as the everyday shortstop in St. Louis. Last year, he broke out with a .271/.346/.389 showing for a 104 wRC+. However, he got off to a slow start this year, hitting just .160/.250/.160 in a small ten-game sample before landing on the injured list. He’ll be jockeying with Brendan Donovan, who is off to a hot start to his MLB career. Over his first 12 games in the big leagues, Donovan is hitting .278/.381/.556, 169 wRC+. Another path the team could eventually take would be to slide Tommy Edman over to shortstop and call up second base prospect Nolan Gorman, who is hitting .287/.350/.658 in Triple-A this year for a wRC+ of 157.
  • There’s one Cardinal that is still on the COVID IL, right-hander Adam Wainwright. It seems that he is back with the club and could be taking the ball for Sunday’s game, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Packy Naughton recently made a spot start to cover for Wainwright and would likely be bumped to the bullpen or optioned to the minors if Waino can indeed return this weekend. The 40-man roster currently has a vacancy, meaning a corresponding move won’t be necessary in that regard. Through six starts this year, Wainwright has a 3.18 ERA, 20% strikeout rate, 9.3% walk rate and 57.6% ground ball rate.

Phillies Designate David Paulino For Assignment, Activate Bailey Falter

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The Phillies have designated David Paulino for assignment, according to the club. The roster spot was needed for Bailey Falter, who has been reinstated from the COVID-IL.

This is a very quick turnaround for Paulino, who was selected to the Philadelphia roster just two days ago. The 27-year-old righty pitched two innings against the Reds yesterday, his first MLB action since 2018, surrendering two runs on three hits. His Triple-A numbers on the year are solid, if unspectacular. He has an ERA of 4.35 over 51 2/3 innings, with a quality strikeout rate of 25.2% but an unfortunate walk rate of 10.4%.

As for Falter, the 24-year-old lefty has been on the COVID-IL since mid-July. Before that, he had been bouncing between the minors and the majors. In 30 2/3 innings at Triple-A this season, he has an excellent 1.76 ERA with a strikeout rate of 36.7% and walk rate of 6.7%. In 18 innings at the MLB level, he has a 4.50 ERA, but with a strikeout rate of 29.6% and walk rate of 1.4%, both of which are much better than average.

COVID Notes: 7/16/21

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The latest coronavirus-related news around baseball:

  • Before this afternoon’s doubleheader agains the Phillies, the Marlins placed outfielder Jesús Sánchez on the COVID-19 injured list. It’s not clear whether he tested positive for the virus; players can also land on the IL for experiencing symptoms or for viral exposure. Sánchez is hitting a solid .265/.315/.434 through 89 plate appearances this season.
  • The Phillies reinstated reliever Bailey Falter from the COVID-19 injured list this afternoon. The southpaw landed on the IL as part of contact tracing efforts last weekend after third baseman Alec Bohm tested positive for the coronavirus. Falter has tallied 17 2/3 innings of multi-inning relief across eight appearances this season.

Alec Bohm Tests Positive For COVID-19

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10:48 am: Bohm has tested positive for COVID-19, Girardi told reporters (including Matt Gelb of the Athletic). He’ll remain in isolation for at least ten days.

10:17 am: The Phillies announced they’ve placed starting pitcher Aaron Nola, third baseman Alec Bohm and relievers Connor Brogdon and Bailey Falter on the COVID-19 injured list. Infielder Nick Maton and pitchers Mauricio Llovera, Damon Jones and Cristopher Sánchez have been recalled to replace them on the active roster.

Bohm was pulled from last night’s game as part of health and safety protocols. There’s no confirmation he or any of the other players involved have tested positive for COVID-19. Players can be placed on the COVID-19 IL for exposure to the virus or for experiencing virus-like symptoms. There is no minimum stint on the COVID IL.

Nola had been scheduled to start this afternoon’s game against the Red Sox. It’s not clear who will get the ball, although it seems likely manager Joe Girardi will conduct some sort of impromptu bullpen game. With the All-Star Break beginning tomorrow, the Phils can leverage a handful of arms to get through today’s contest and reevaluate the pitching staff before their doubleheader with the Marlins next Friday.

Phillies Add 6 Players To 40-Man Roster

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The Phillies have added three left-handers – Kyle Dohy, Bailey Falter and Damon Jones – as well as infielder Nick Maton, righty Francisco Morales and outfielder Simon Muzziotti to their 40-man roster, the team announced. They now have 37 players on their roster.

Going by MLB.com’s rankings, the most promising player in this group is Morales, whom it places fourth overall in the Phillies’ farm system. The hard-throwing 21-year-old has a chance to morph into a workhorse at the major league level, per MLB.com. So far, Morales has topped out at Single-A ball, where he recorded a 3.82 ERA/3.51 FIP and 12.01 K/9 against 4.28 BB/9 in 96 2/3 innings in 2019.

Muzziotti (No. 11), Maton (13), Jones (15) and Dohy (27) are also among the Phillies’ top 30 prospects. All of those players are homegrown products.

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