Phillips was assigned to the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday.
Phillips has loud stuff, but his control and command have been major weaknesses throughout his career. He gave up 23 earned runs in 10.1 innings over his three most recent starts for Triple-A Louisville, and the assignment to the complex will presumably allow him to work on some mechanical stuff that's easier to address in a less competitive environment.
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Reds' Connor Phillips: Let down by bullpen in no-decision
Rotowire
Phillips allowed three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out nine batters over five-plus innings in a no-decision against Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Phillips was staked to a 9-0 lead through three innings, and he looked to be in line for a relatively easy win when he left the game with an eight-run lead after giving up consecutive singles to begin the sixth. However, the Reds' bullpen allowed both of those baserunners to score and surrendered three additional runs in the frame, and the Pirates attacked for seven more runs over the seventh and eighth innings to storm back for the win. Despite that outcome, Phillips made a positive overall impression in the outing, racking up 13 whiffs and a career-high nine punchouts. He's posted a solid 26:10 K:BB over 20.2 innings on the campaign and lines up for one more regular-season start, which is tentatively slated to come in St. Louis next weekend.
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Reds' Connor Phillips: Call-up official ahead of start
Rotowire
The Reds selected Phillips' contract from Triple-A Louisville ahead of his scheduled start Monday against the Twins.
He'll be making his third start of September with the Reds after posting an 8.31 ERA and 1.85 WHIP in 8.2 innings between his first two big-league outings. After Monday, the Reds will be able to get by with a four-man rotation for the rest of the season as they look to chase down a playoff spot, so Phillips could be a candidate to return to Triple-A immediately after the start.
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Reds' Connor Phillips: Sent back to Triple-A
Rotowire
Phillips was returned to Triple-A Louisville on Thursday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Phillips made two spot starts during his time with the Reds, striking out 10 over 8.2 innings but giving up eight earned runs on 10 hits and six walks. Because he was up with the Reds as a replacement for one of their pitchers that recently landed on the COVID-19-related injured list, the rookie right-hander can rejoin the big club at any time. He'll be a candidate to draw another start next week while the Reds are still without a fifth member of the rotation with Graham Ashcraft (toe) on the 15-day IL.
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Reds' Connor Phillips: Five earned runs in MLB debut
Rotowire
Phillips did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks over 4.2 innings against the Mariners. He struck out seven.
The 22-year-old served up a two-run homer to Teoscar Hernandez in the first inning and a three-run blast to Julio Rodriguez in the fifth. Despite exiting the game with a 5-1 deficit, Phillips was able to avoid taking a loss in his big-league debut thanks to Cincinnati's late rally. It remains to be seen whether the right-handed rookie will draw another start for the Reds while 60 percent of their starting rotation is currently on the COVID-19 injured list.
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Reds' Connor Phillips: Confirmed to start Tuesday
Rotowire
Phillips is scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Mariners in Cincinnati, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Phillips was called up from Triple-A Louisville on Saturday as a replacement for Brandon Williamson (illness), who became the fourth Reds pitcher to land on the COVID-19 injured list in recent days. The Reds didn't need Phillips in relief for the final two games of their weekend series with the Cubs, so the 22-year-old right-hander will end up filling a hole in the depleted Cincinnati rotation, at least temporarily. Between stops with Louisville and Double-A Chattanooga in 2023, Phillips has compiled a 3.77 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 154:57 K:BB across 105 innings.
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Reds' Connor Phillips: Could make start
Rotowire
Phillips is a candidate to start a game during the upcoming week while the Reds deal with multiple absences in the starting rotation, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Cincinnati added Graham Ashcraft (toe) to the injured list Saturday, and he's now sidelined along with fellow starters Hunter Greene, Brandon Williamson and Ben Lively, all of whom are on the COVID-19 injured list. The absences leave openings in the starting rotation over the next four days. Carson Spiers will make his MLB debut Sunday, and Phillips could follow soon after. The 22-year-old right-hander last started for Triple-A Louisville on Thursday, when he pitched six scoreless innings with six strikeouts. If the Reds give him a spot start, his five-day schedule comes due Tuesday at home against the Mariners.
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Reds' Connor Phillips: Added as substitute
Rotowire
The Reds added Phillips to the active roster Saturday to replace Brandon Williamson (illness).
With Williamson landing on the COVID-19 IL on Saturday, Phillips will come up from the minors for his first stint in the big leagues. The Reds also placed Graham Ashcraft (toe) on the 15-day injured list Saturday, allowing Phillips to fill the open starting rotation spot Wednesday against Seattle.
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Reds' Connor Phillips: Rolling in Triple-A
Rotowire
Phillips allowed three hits and two walks while striking out 11 over seven scoreless innings for Triple-A Louisville on Friday.
Phillips made his fourth appearance since a promotion to Triple-A, and the right-hander has a 2.55 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 17.2 innings for the Bats. The punchouts are nothing new for Phillips, who leads the minor leagues with 134 over 82.1 innings.
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Reds' Connor Phillips: Pushed to Double-A
Rotowire
The Reds promoted Phillips from High-A Dayton to Double-A Chattanooga on Monday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Phillips was part of the haul the Reds received from the Mariners in the March trade that sent outfielder Jesse Winker and third baseman Eugenio Suarez to Seattle. The 21-year-old right-hander had performed as one of the Reds' top lower-level pitchers this season, turning in a 2.95 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 90:32 K:BB across 64 innings at Dayton before getting moved up to Double-A.
