The Phillies made some roster moves over the Holiday. With an off-day following the series against Pittsburgh and the All-Star Break coming up the Phillies won’t need a fifth starter until after the break. That brought about one move and not wanting to lose a veteran outfielder from their minor league ranks necessitated the second move.
First, pitcher Alan Rangel, who took Andrew Painter‘s spot in the rotation and worked as a “follower” to opener Tim Mayza in two games and then started against Pittsburgh on Thursday, was optioned back to Lehigh Valley. In his most recent games with Philadelphia, Rangel went 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA in 13 innings. Rangel, 28, allowed five runs, all earned, gave up 12 hits and six walks, and struck out 12 batters. If you factor in a scoreless three-inning outing back in April, Rangel is 0-1, 3.38 this season.
Rangel will likely join Painter in the Lehigh Valley rotation with one of them being recalled after the All-Star Break when the Phillies will need their fifth starter to be in place. Painter threw six strong innings for the Pigs Saturday, Painter pitched six innings, allowing one earned run with no walks and six strikeouts. In his two starts back with Lehigh Valley, the 23-year-old right-hander has a 1.80 ERA with 10 innings pitched, six hits and three walks allowed to go with 10 strikeouts.
Since they don’t need another starter until July 22 against the Dodgers, the Phillies opted to recall left-handed reliever Tanner Banks from Lehigh Valley. Banks (6-2, 3.07) was one of the more reliable relievers with the Phillies last season, but has not gotten on track this season. In 26 games this year, Banks is 0-4 with a 5.86 ERA out of the Phillies bullpen. Banks pitched 4.1 innings in four games with the IronPigs and went 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA, walking three batters and giving up four hits for a 1.86 WHIP.
De La Cruz gets a raise
Bryan De La Cruz and his agent made a pretty strong move when the veteran outfielder signed with the Phillies during the offseason. De La Cruz did not have the service time to qualify for an automatic opt-out clause on his minor league deal, so his agent negotiated to have one inserted. As it turns out, the opt-out date was July 5 and the Phillies had to either put him on the 40-man roster by then or De La Cruz could become a free agent.
The deal never said he had to play in the majors; he just had to be added to the 40-man roster, which would come with a higher payday equal to at least the major league minimum of $780,000. The Phillies did just that following their game in Kansas City Saturday night and block De La Cruz from exercising the opt-out clause. The move involved signing De La Cruz to a major league contract and then optioning him to Lehigh Valley.
The 29-year-old had a big month of June that likely earned him his spot on the Phillies roster. He hit .333 (26-78) with Lehigh Valley, scored 11 runs, hit four home runs and drove in 15 with the IronPigs. He also posted a .429 OBP and a .551 SLG (.980 OPS). On the season, De La Cruz is batting .254/.345.426/.771 with 12 home runs, 51 RBI, and 42 runs scored in 77 games.
The Phillies needed to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, which led to pitcher Jean Cabrera being designated for assignment. The 24-year-old was a much heralded prospect out of Venezuela when the Phillies signed him as an international free agent almost seven years ago to the day that he was DFA’d. The right-hander opened with Lehigh Valley this season and was then reassigned to Double-A Reading after a weak start with the IronPigs. In eight Double-A starts, Cabrera is 2-4 with an 8.91 ERA after making seven starts with Lehigh Valley where he went 1-2 with a 9.32 ERA.
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