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Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Who's The Next Phillies Prospect To Get The Call? Maybe Justin Crawford
Justin Crawford could be the Phillies' next call-up from the minots. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB ... More Photos via Getty Images) It looks like the Phillies are ready to dig into their farm system after calling up pitching prospects, Mick Abel and Seth Johnson, on Sunday. Abel, who aced his audition on May 18 with six-shutout innings against the Pirates in a spot start, will get slotted into the rotation while Johnson could get high-leverage innings for a depleted bullpen that's gasping after losing Jose Alvarado to an 80-game PED suspension. So who will be the next Phillies prospect to get the call? How about Justin Crawford? The 21-year-old kid is peaking right now. In his last 21 games, Crawford is hitting .363 with 11 stolen bases. And overall against advanced pitching at Triple-A this season, he boasts a .338 average with 20 swiped bags while playing supreme defense in the outfield. Check out this sliding beaut: Crawford's skeptics, however, will point to an elevated ground-ball rate (63.8%) and his next-to-nil power (only one home run) as reasons to leave him in the minors. But Crawford, a former first-round pick in 2022, is hardly the second-coming of slap-hitting Juan Pierre. His line-drive rate at 22.7% is the highest of his minor-league career, and his max-exit velocity (110.7 mph) tops that of Phillies centerfielder Brandon Marsh (108.2 mph) for the season. In 2025, another facet to Crawford's game is evolving: his patience at the plate. He's walking 10.7% of the time, up from 6.1% against Double-A pitching last year, boosting his on-base percentage to an elite level at .407. Yes, it's a simple equation: Crawford's superior on-base skills + his blazing speed = immense value for the Phillies. Especially considering that Phils' outfielders are providing so little offense. There is a blockade to Crawford's promotion: The team has not one but two centerfielders in the Marsh-Johan Rojas platoon. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski must know neither Marsh nor Rojas is the answer in center and that Crawford could eliminate the need for a CF platoon if his unbelievable splits carry over to the big leagues. The left-handed-hitting Crawford is batting .306 against right-handers and .455 against lefties this season. And the kid uses all fields; check out this opposite-field flare: For the immediate future, it seems that only an injury to an outfielder would initiate Crawford's call-up. Or they could possibly demote reserve OF Weston Wilson to clear space for Crawford, but that probably won't happen because Wilson is one of the few right-handed hitters on the bench. But the Phillies are skidding, losing four in a row. And Dombrowski may figure out a way to get Crawford on the big club. When Phils called up Abel and Johnson, it's obvious the team wants to infuse the pitching ranks with some youth. And if they're looking to do the same with the lineup, it's easy to see the next move: Call up Crawford to provide a spark.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Phillies move veteran starter Taijuan Walker to bullpen
June 2 - Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker is being shifted from the starting rotation to the bullpen as the team retools its pitching staff. "I think Tai's got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the 'pen," manager Rob Thomson told reporters Sunday. Following a 5-2 loss to the visiting Milwaukee Brewers, the Phillies' bullpen carried a collective 4.65 ERA, the sixth-worst mark of any bullpen in the majors. Walker, 32, is in his third season with the Phillies following stays with the Seattle Mariners (2013-16, 2020), Arizona Diamondbacks (2017-19), Toronto Blue Jays (2020) and New York Mets (2021-22). Walker was 2-4 with a 3.53 ERA over 10 games (eight starts) this season. He threw three shutout innings to earn his first career save May 7 in a 7-0 win at the Tampa Bay Rays. Thomson said that the team will try Walker as a one-inning reliever. Philadelphia tapped rookie Mick Abel to start Thursday at the Toronto Blue Jays in Walker's place. A 2020 first-round draft pick (15th overall), Abel made his MLB debut May 18 against the Pittsburgh Pirates; he scattered five hits and threw nine strikeouts without a walk in six shutout innings en route to a win. The Phillies also recalled right-handed reliever Seth Johnson and designated right-hander Jose Ruiz for assignment. Johnson, 26, made his major league debut last September in a start against Miami and was shelled for nine runs on eight hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. He hasn't pitched for the Phillies since, and he was 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA in 16 games (four starts) for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year. Ruiz, 30, was 1-0 with an 8.16 ERA in 16 bullpen appearances in 2025. --Field Level Media
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Philadelphia Phillies moving Taijuan Walker to the bullpen and replacing him with Mick Abel
The Philadelphia Phillies restructured their bullpen on Sunday, removing Taijuan Walker from the rotation and recalling right-handed reliever Seth Johnson before their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers. Mick Abel will take Walker's place in the starting rotation on Thursday in Toronto. Reliever José Ruiz was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Johnson. The 32-year-old Walker, who has been primarily a starter throughout his 13-year career, will move to the bullpen on a permanent basis, manager Rob Thomson announced. "I think Tai's got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the 'pen," Thomson said. Walker has made 10 appearances this season, including eight starts and two long relief appearances, with a 2-4 record and 3.53 ERA in 43 1/3 innings. He is in the third year of a $72 million, four-year contract. Thomson will use Walker in one-inning roles. Abel made his major league debut on May 18, throwing six scoreless innings. The 23-year-old was the 15th overall pick in the 2020 amadeur draft. Johnson, 26, is 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 33 innings with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, transitioning from the starting rotation to a relief role. He made one appearance for the Phillies last year, allowing nine earned runs in 2 1/3 innings on Sept. 8 against Miami. Johnson was acquired by the Phillies from Baltimore on July 30, 2024, in a trade for Gregory Soto. Ruiz had an 8.16 ERA in 14 1/3 innings this season, including allowing five runs in one inning of Saturday's 17-7 loss to the Brewers. The 30-year-old right-hander had a 5-1 record and 3.71 ERA in 52 appearances in 2024.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Phillies make brutal decision over $72million star pitcher after 12-run nightmare
The Philadelphia Phillies are moving star pitcher Taijuan Walker to the bullpen amid the team's 4-game losing streak to shake things up before their season turns into freefall. Walker moves from the starting mound after another Phillies starter, Jesus Luzardo, gave up 12 runs on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, setting off a chain reaction of personnel moves. Walker, who is in the third year of a $72million contract, last pitched in Friday's loss to Milwaukee, where he gave up seven hits and four runs in four innings of work. The 32-year-old has made 10 appearances this season, with eight coming as starts. Walker has amassed a 2-4 record and a 3.53 earned-run average. Maybe the biggest blow of all for Walker is Phillies manager Rob Thomson admitting the team will use him in one-inning roles at first. Walker has been a starter for most of his career, with the Phillies demotion a blow to his involvement with the team. Mick Abel will take Walker's place in the starting lineup, with his next start slated for Thursday. Abel is already on Philadelphia's roster, being called up to the big leagues last month, and will make the opposite journey from Walker. The Phillies are only one game back of the New York Mets for first place in the National League East and hold the top Wild Card spot. Yet, with how things have transpired over the last week or so, with only two victories to show in those games, the Phillies are being proactive to right the ship. Philadelphia is three games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants, who are tied for the final Wild Card spot.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Phillies juggle bullpen duties in hopes of solving pitching woes
PHILADELPHIA — A day after allowing 17 runs, the Philadelphia Phillies rearranged their rotation and bullpen Sunday morning as they attempt to solve some festering pitching problems from within. The Phillies will shift Taijuan Walker to a one-inning setup role for the first time in his 13-year career while reinserting prospect Mick Abel into the rotation. Additionally, they removed veteran righty José Ruiz from the mix by designating him for assignment and added hard-throwing Seth Johnson to the bullpen. Advertisement There could be a time for larger changes closer to the July 31 trade deadline. But, for now, the Phillies will pull some internal levers and see what happens. More than anything, the bullpen needed a boost. 'Yeah, I think so,' Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. 'I have a lot of confidence in all those guys. But I think Tai's got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the pen.' Abel, 23, impressed the Phillies with his stellar big-league debut last month. He'll have at least two starts in the majors — Thursday at the Toronto Blue Jays, then at home against the Chicago Cubs — while Aaron Nola continues his recovery from a sprained right ankle. The Phillies expect him back sometime in mid-June. Whenever Walker has pitched from the bullpen, he's been a long man. The Phillies envision him filling a more crucial role this time. They were intrigued by his two bullpen appearances in early May before he had to step back into the rotation to replace Nola. It will require significant adjustments, as Walker is used to a set routine. He's never pitched on back-to-back days. He'll have to be eased into this role. Whether it works — Walker has never been a guy with huge swing-and-miss stuff — remains to be seen. 'He's a pro,' Thomson said. 'He really is. I'm sure he's not 100 percent happy. I think he still thinks of himself as a starter. But he's a pro. And I think that he's a guy that'll do anything to help the team.' Walker sounded willing to make the move after his last start. 'If I have one inning to blow it out, whatever it is, I feel like my stuff would play up just a little bit more,' Walker said last week. 'Knowing that I got one inning, just let it eat.' Ruiz, 30, spent 13 months with the Phillies after joining them on a minor-league contract in November 2023. He was a solid middle reliever in 2024 who gained more trust later in the season but struggled in higher-leverage spots. The Phillies tendered him a contract through salary arbitration; Ruiz is making $1.23 million in 2025. He had an 8.16 ERA in 14 1/3 innings this season with 21 hits allowed. If he clears waivers, Ruiz can refuse an assignment to the minors, elect free agency and retain his salary. Advertisement The Phillies could have demoted Max Lazar or plucked Carlos Hernández from the roster. But Ruiz has not been effective for months; Hernández throws harder, so the Phillies will keep trying Hernández over Ruiz. 'All the other guys are just pitching a little bit better,' Thomson said. 'That's all.'
