Phillies' Andrew Painter: Could be held out of exhibitions
Rotowire
The Phillies might hold Painter out of Grapefruit League games in order to preserve his workload, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Painter hasn't pitched in a minor-league game since 2022 due to recovery from Tommy John surgery, so he's going to have his innings closely monitored in 2024. The most likely scenario appears to be him remaining in extended spring training for a slow ramp-up so he can be available for the Phillies later in the season. However, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said earlier this month that no decisions have been made in regards to how Painter will be handled. The top prospect dazzled during Arizona Fall League play, posting a 2.30 ERA and 18:4 K:BB over 15.2 frames.
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Phillies' Rodolfo Castro: Back in Philadelphia on MiLB deal
Rotowire
The Phillies re-signed Castro to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Castro was outrighted off the Phillies' 40-man roster earlier this month but has returned on a minors pact. The infielder missed the bulk of the 2024 season with shoulder and thumb injuries. The 25-year-old Castro sports a career .219/.292/.380 batting line over parts of three major-league seasons.
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Phillies' Jean Cabrera: Protected from Rule 5 draft
Rotowire
The Phillies added Cabrera to the 40-man roster Tuesday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Cabrera logged a 3.39 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over 77 innings at High-A and a 4.85 ERA and 1.52 WHIP over 29.2 innings at Double-A last season. He may have worn down after the promotion to Double-A, and if he can recapture his form from High-A, where he had a 21.0 K-BB% and a 51.6 percent groundball rate, he could re-emerge as a fantasy prospect of note for late 2025 or 2026.
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Phillies' Mick Abel: Added to 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Phillies added Abel to the 40-man roster Tuesday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
Abel's prospect stock has trended down each year since he was selected No. 15 overall in 2020. Initially he was seen as a potential No. 1 pitching prospect type, but he has never posted a walk rate below 10 percent and his stuff has stagnated. Abel logged a 6.46 ERA, 1.81 WHIP and a 117:78 K:BB in 108.2 innings at Triple-A last season and is unlikely to be more than an up-and-down arm in 2025.
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Phillies' John McMillon: Ousted from 40-man roster
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McMillon cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
The Phillies claimed McMillon off waivers from the Marlins earlier this month, but he'll lose his 40-man roster spot again with Philadelphia protecting some prospects from the Rule 5 draft. McMillon's career has been greatly affected by arm injuries, and he averaged 95.3 mph with his fastball in 2024 after he sat at 99 mph with the pitch in 2023.
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Phillies' Moises Chace: Gains spot on 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Phillies selected Chace's contract from Double-A Reading on Tuesday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
Chace was acquired from the Orioles at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Gregory Soto to Baltimore. He's just 21 and has struggled to throw strikes with a career 14.5 percent walk rate, but Chace's 31.6 percent strikeout rate points to his upside.
Painter has a 2.08 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 12 strikeouts and two walks in 13 innings through five Arizona Fall League starts.
He last pitched three scoreless and hitless frames Tuesday, and could make a final AFL appearance this week. Prior to the fall league, Painter hadn't pitched since 2022, yet he leads qualified AFL pitchers in ERA and WHIP. He has used all four of his pitches this fall, with his four-seam fastball up to 99 mph and averaging 97 mph, per Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. His stuff is all the way back as is his control, which was part of what made Painter such a special prospect before Tommy John surgery. It's unclear if the Phillies will ease Painter into action at Triple-A or give him a shot to win a job in the big-league rotation out of spring training. He threw 103.2 innings in 2022 and will finish with just under 20 innings this fall, so a potentially capped, unpredictable workload is the main drawback with the 21-year-old righty in redraft leagues.
The Phillies selected Rangel's contract from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday.
Rangel, 27, held a 4.30 ERA and 25:8 K:BB over 29.1 innings with Lehigh Valley this season. He has yet to make an appearance at the big-league level, but the Phillies didn't want him to walk as a minor-league free agent.
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Phillies' John McMillon: Claimed by Philadelphia
Rotowire
The Phillies claimed McMillon (elbow) off waivers from the Marlins on Monday.
McMillon ended the 2024 season on the injured list with an elbow injury, but the Phillies are evidently comfortable with his health situation. The right-handed reliever holds a 1.69 ERA and 21:5 K:BB over 16 innings during parts of two seasons at the major-league level.
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Phillies' Devin Sweet: Headed to Philadelphia
Rotowire
The Tigers traded Sweet to the Phillies on Monday for cash considerations, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Sweet spent the entire 2024 regular season with Triple-A Toledo. Across 52 outings (four starts), he posted a 3.79 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 111:38 K:BB across 76 innings. Sweet will have a chance to compete for a major-league roster spot with the Phillies during spring training.
