Breaking News: Phillies demote hero after surprising MLB stint

The talented rookie’s time with the Phillies appears to be coming to an end, at least for now.
The Philadelphia Phillies made a shocking, but understandable, roster move on Saturday to prepare for the next week. Tyler Gilbert, a left-handed pitcher, has been called up from the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. In a matching move, they optioned right-handed pitcher Tyler Phillips to the minors.

Born in neighboring Lumberton, New Jersey, Phillips had spent the previous three seasons in the minors with the club after being claimed off waivers from the Texas Rangers in 2021.

He finally had his chance to shine in the majors when his contract was selected on July 5 and he was promoted to the big league team.
It was a shocking decision at the time because Phillips was not one among the Phillies’ top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, and he was only putting up respectable numbers with the IronPigs this season.

Phillies demote rookie Tyler Phillips after surprising first MLB stint, call up Tyler Gilbert

 

 

Nonetheless, as an ardent Phillies fan growing up, Phillips took advantage of his opportunity with a good start to his MLB career.

In his first four outings, three of which were starts, he went 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.76 WHIP, only two walks, and 19 strikeouts in 25 innings thrown. This includes a remarkable complete game, four-hit shutout in only his fourth big league outing against a tough Cleveland Guardians squad.

However, he struggled for the majority of his subsequent three starts. These performances may have contributed to his earlier-than-anticipated return to the minors, since he was supposed to be kept in the rotation or demoted only after Ranger Suárez returned. But he was more likely a victim of the numbers game, given the Phillies had an off day on Monday and his slot in the rotation would be unnecessary this week with Suárez’s comeback on the horizon. Phillips went 4-1 this season with the Phillies, posting a 5.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 36 innings thrown.

Gilbert, a former Phillies 2015 sixth-round draft pick, was re-acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in early May to provide crucial pitching depth to the club. He may be best known for throwing a no-hitter in his first career start with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2021.

This season, he has a 4-1 record, a 4.82 ERA, a 1.41 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings pitched in the minors for the Reds and Phillies organizations. According to Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer, manager Rob Thomson’s intention for Gilbert is to employ him as a mass reliever.

Phillips will now be able to continue pitching in a regular rotation with Lehigh Valley to help restore his confidence, and he hopes to receive another chance with the big league club in the near future.