The Phillies appear to have turned things around, taking a series from the Los Angeles Dodgers and opening a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks with a win. As the Phillies look to keep the momentum going, the roster will look different for now. The Phillies were very active Friday afternoon, making several roster changes.
Here is an overview of the day’s events:
Outfielder Austin Hays is placed on the 10-day injured list.
Hays suffered a hamstring injury in Wednesday night’s finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although the Phillies made no changes to the roster on Thursday, they continued to evaluate his condition in Arizona. After Thursday’s game, Phillies manager Robert Thomson compared the injury with that of Brandon Marsh earlier this season. Marsh missed about two weeks.
Pitcher Kolby Allard was sent to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Kolby Allard helped the Phillies get going in the series in Arizona, securing the five-inning, one-run victory. So why choose Allard as an option? Well, it could be that Taijuan Walker is close to returning. Walker threw five innings with one run for Double-A Reading in Akron on Wednesday night. The Phillies could be confident that Walker will make his next start.
The Phillies have selected the contract of outfielder Cal Stevenson.
The replacement in the outfield will be outfielder I am Stevenson. Stevenson originally came to the Phillies via a waiver claim from the San Francisco Giants. Less than a week later, the Phillies designated Stevenson for transfer. He remained in the organization after clearing waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
After a mediocre Triple-A season with the IronPigs for the remainder of 2023, Stevenson has been pretty good for the Triple-A team this season. Stevenson has a batting average of .307 with 21 doubles, five triples, and seven home runs. His OPS is an impressive .908 in 2024. Stevenson has played primarily center field for the IronPigs.
The Phillies have designated first baseman Darick Hall for assignment.
The Phillies have finally retired Darick Hall from the 40-man roster. With no clear path to the major leagues, the Phillies were able to move on. It’s entirely possible another team could claim Hall on the waivers list; if he goes unclaimed, he could be sent straight to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he’s a fan favorite.
Hall had a batting average of .248 for the IronPigs with 12 home runs in 2024. Hall spent parts of 2022 and 2023 with the Phillies, mostly in the absence of Bryce Harper And Rhys Hoskins, He had a batting average of .226 with 10 home runs in the major leagues. This move opens up a spot for Stevenson on the 40-man roster.
The Phillies acquire the contract of pitcher Max Lazer from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The Phillies signed Max Lazer a minor league contract in the offseason. He was assigned to Double-A Reading on May 8 and was there briefly before being placed at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He has been pretty good out of the bullpen for the IronPigs. In 34 games (including eight at Double-A Reading), Lazer is 2-3 with a 1.79 earned run average. He has a combined WHIP of 0.84.
Lazer will likely only be with the Phillies for a short time. The increased use of the bullpen in recent days will likely mean that the Phillies have been looking for a fresh pitcher. Lazer can argue that he should stay on the roster if Walker is activated. For now Yunior Marte holds the last bullpen spot but has been inconsistent.
The Phillies designate Max Castillo for assignment.
The Phillies claimed Max Castillo was signed on waivers by the Boston Red Sox last offseason after the Red Sox signed him on waivers from the Kansas City Royals. Castillo didn’t give the Phillies much in the minor leagues, going 0-6 with a 7.62 earned run average in 14 games, including 13 starts, at Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The move freed up a roster spot for Lazer.
