Mick Abel is Sent to Triple-A by the Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies have made the decision to send rookie right-handed pitcher Mick Abel to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The move comes after Abel, who dazzled in his Major League debut, has faced difficulties in his recent outings. In addition to Abel’s move, the Phillies called up reliever Seth Johnson from Lehigh Valley, preparing for Friday’s game against Cincinnati. Abel, 23 years old, accumulated six starts with the Phillies, recording a 2-2 record and a 5.04 ERA, with 21 strikeouts and nine walks.Abel, selected 15th overall in the 2020 amateur draft, impressed in May against Pittsburgh, tying the Phillies’ debut strikeout record with nine, set by Curt Simmons in 1947. However, in his last four starts, he has failed to get past the fifth inning. In his most recent outing, against San Diego on Wednesday, he was punished with five runs in 1 2/3 innings. Last year, Abel had a 3-12 record with an ERA of 6.46 for Lehigh Valley. This year, before his call-up, he showed significant improvement with a 5-2 record and an ERA of 2.53 in eight starts in the minor leagues.“Mick needed to go down and breathe a little. Just get a little reset. It’s not unusual,” commented manager Rob Thomson.
Rob Thomson, Phillies Manager
Taijuan Walker will take Abel’s place in the rotation against San Francisco. Walker has alternated between the rotation and the bullpen in the last two seasons, with eight starts and 11 relief appearances this season, accumulating a 3-5 record with a 3.64 ERA and a save. Thomson indicated that he has not yet made a final decision on who will be the fifth starter after the All-Star break. Prospect Andrew Painter has two more starts scheduled in Triple-A before the break and could earn a spot in the rotation.“This kid has had a very good year. His poise, his composure is outstanding. He has really grown. We just need to get back to that. Just attack the zone and overcome adversity,” Thomson added.
Rob Thomson, Phillies Manager
