September 1st used to mean a mass exodus of minor league players into the big league clubhouses. Now, it means just two players get called up as roster reinforcements. Why not split the difference and go with 30? Anyway, who are the likely players to get a ticket to join the Phillies?
Keep in mind that they can call-up one position player and one pitcher.
The position player is easy. Rafael Marchan will get the call. He’s ready to be activated from the IL. Yes, three catchers – especially when they’re both pretty weak offensively – is excessive, but it’s unlikely that the Phillies would go this far without risking losing one of them. To send either Marchan or Stubbs to the minors they would need to send them through waivers and risk losing them to another team. While the Phillies favor that more than most fans do and most writers, including me, can figure out why, the odds of them changing course now are small.
Position players
Let’s play along and say they do something that means it won’t be Marchan or Stubbs exits and opens another roster spot, who would the options be?
The only infielder who is on the 40-man roster is Christian Cairo (3-33-.231/.383/.302/.685). Otto Kemp can play both first and third base and his defense at third has become much better with the added work there in the minors. Technically, he is an outfielder first, but with the improved defense he could be an option there.
Among outfielders Kameron Misner (3-18-.265/.368/.510/.878), Gabriel Rincones Jr. (2-10-.270/.353/.427/.780), and Colby Thomas (5-24-.246/.321/.421/.742) are all on the 40-man roster. None of them are blowing up the stat chart right now with Lehigh Valley. Misner and Rincones are both left-handed hitters.
If they go off of the 40-man roster and add someone else, candidates could be first baseman/DH Keaton Anthony (8-37-.268/.341/.433/.774), infielder Carter Kieboom (7-43-.277/.359/.402/.761), infielder Dylan Moore (8-29-.254/.339/.406/.745), and infielder Rob Moore (14-45-.227/.318/.466/.784) would be the leading candidates.
Rob Moore, 24, would be an interesting pick. He’s a switch-hitter with some pop in his bat and has 14 home runs in 251 at-bats this season with Lehigh Valley. Moore has played second, third, and short this season and has some experience in the outfield. Keaton Anthony’s power numbers would be higher but he missed a lot of time with a foot injury early in the season and has played in just 61 games this season.
Anthony and Rob Moore are both Rule 5 eligible and Kieboom and Dylan Moore are both free agents following the season. Adding one of the Rule 5 eligible players would make sense, especially if the Phillies plan on adding them following the season.
Pitchers
Tanner Banks has been pitching really well on his rehab assignment with Lehigh Valley. The left-hander isn’t eligible to come off of the IL until September 7, but if he continues to pitch as well as he has, figure on him getting a spot at that time and someone else being jettisoned.
Outside of Banks, left-hander Kyle Backhus (0-1, 3.05) and right-hander Grant Holman (3-0, 3.60) are both extremely viable options. Backhus is a side-winder who was acquired from Arizona last December and has done a good job out of the IronPigs bullpen this season. The Phillies claimed Holman off of waivers from Detroit back in May. In his 20 games with the IronPigs, Holman is 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA.
Both Backhus and Holman will have to be added to the 40-man roster following the season or be subject to the Rule 5 Draft, so again, adding one to the roster now would make sense.
The other two options are the usual retreads. Max Lazar (5.63 ERA in 6 G with Philly) has pitched well at times, but has a 4.55 ERA in 25 relief outings at Lehigh Valley. Alan Rangel (5.88 in 7 G with Philly) has made 16 starts with Lehigh Valley and has a 5.44 ERA. We should safely be able to cross both Lazar and Rangel off the list.
Nestor Cortes is still on the IL with Clearwater and shouldn’t be counted on at the big league level. He’s going to need a number of outings in the minors and by the time he proves himself healthy and stretched out enough to help the Phillies, the season will be nearing its end.
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