Latest news with #SethJohnson
Forbes
4 days 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
5 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
5 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.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Phillies shake up bullpen, designate José Ruiz for assignment, recall Seth Johnson from Triple-A
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies recalled right-handed reliever Seth Johnson on Sunday before their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers. To make room on the roster, reliever José Ruiz was designated for assignment. 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.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Phillies shake up bullpen, designate José Ruiz for assignment, recall Seth Johnson from Triple-A
Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson looks to the dugout before a baseball game against the Athletics Saturday, May 24, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis) PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies recalled right-handed reliever Seth Johnson on Sunday before their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers. To make room on the roster, reliever José Ruiz was designated for assignment. Advertisement 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. The move is part of a bigger restructuring of the Phillies' bullpen. Manager Rob Thomson announced that Taijuan Walker would move to the bullpen on a permanent basis. Mick Abel will take Walker's place in the starting rotation Thursday in Toronto. Advertisement Walker has made 10 appearances, including eight starts and two long relief appearances, with a 2-4 record and 3.53 ERA in 43 1/3 innings. Thomson will use Walker in one-inning roles. The 32-year-old Walker has been primarily a starter throughout his 13-year career. He is in the third year of a $72 million, four-year contract. 'I think Tai's got a chance to make us a lot better coming out of the 'pen,' Thomson said. 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. ___ AP MLB:
