The Phillies optioned Mercado to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Mercado was lit up for six earned runs in four innings during his last appearance against Oakland on Sunday, and he'll now head back to Triple-A in order to right the ship. Yunior Marte was recalled from Lehigh Valley to fill the open spot in Philadelphia's bullpen.
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Phillies' Rafael Marchan: Optioned to Triple-A
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The Phillies optioned Marchan to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
J.T. Realmuto (knee) was activated off the injured list Saturday, squeezing Marchan out of the major-league catcher group. The 25-year-old backstop owns a solid .894 OPS through 56 plate appearances with the Phillies, though he'll remain in the minors as long as Realmuto and Garrett Stubbs are both active.
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Phillies' Yunior Marte: Back in majors
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The Phillies recalled Marte from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Although Marte owns a 6.92 ERA and 2.23 WHIP in Triple-A, he's been much more effective in the majors with a 3.31 ERA and 1.35 WHIP through 16.1 frames. He'll now rejoin the Phillies to give their bullpen a fresh arm, taking the place of Michael Mercado.
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Phillies' J.T. Realmuto: Activated from IL
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The Phillies reinstated Realmuto (knee) from the 10-day injured list Saturday, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Realmuto has been on the injured list since June 11 after undergoing right meniscus surgery. Manager Rob Thomson said before the All-Star break that it was unlikely the 33-year-old backstop returns during the weekend series, but he's progressed through his recovery faster than expected and will be active for Saturday's game versus Pittsburgh. Rafael Marchan will head back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move, and Realmuto will reclaim his spot as Philadelphia's everyday catcher after slashing .261/.309/.411 during the first half.
Phillies' Freddy Tarnok: Shut down with lat strain
Rotowire
Triple-A Lehigh Valley placed Tarnok on its 7-day injured list July 9 with a right lat strain, Tom Housenick of The Allentown Morning Call reports.
After claiming Tarnok off waivers from Oakland on June 1, Philadelphia optioned him to Lehigh Valley. Tarnok accrued a 4.82 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 12:4 K:BB in 9.1 innings over five outings (four starts) with Lehigh Valley before being shut down with the injury, which will likely keep him out indefinitely.
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Phillies' Griff McGarry: Returns from IL
Rotowire
Triple-A Lehigh Valley reinstated McGarry (undisclosed) from the 7-day injured list Friday.
McGarry had been on the shelf since May 24 with the unspecified injury, but he was cleared to rejoin Lehigh Valley coming out of the All-Star break after he struck out two over a scoreless inning in his lone rehab appearance July 13 with High-A Jersey Shore. Over his 14 relief appearances with Lehigh Valley on the season, McGarry has posted a 3.57 ERA and 25:15 K:BB across 17.2 innings.
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Phillies' Rodolfo Castro: Rehabbing from shoulder injury
Rotowire
Castro (shoulder) began a rehab assignment Thursday and has gone 1-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI between two games in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and Single-A Clearwater.
After failing to win a spot on the Phillies' Opening Day roster, Castro was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley coming out of spring training. He appeared in just two games for Lehigh Valley before being placed on the 7-day injured list April 3 with left shoulder subscapular bursitis, per Tom Housenick of The Allentown Morning Call. Lehigh Valley later transferred Castro to its 60-day injured list, but since he's already missed more than two months with the injury, he'll be eligible for activation once he completes his rehab assignment.
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Phillies' TJayy Walton: Back in action at Single-A
Rotowire
Walton (undisclosed) has gone 4-for-19 with two doubles in five games since being reinstated from Single-A Clearwater's temporary inactive list July 9.
Walton was on the inactive list for just four days before making his return to the Clearwater lineup. The 19-year-old outfielder is slashing .238/.319/.393 with two home runs and four stolen bases over 94 plate appearances on the season for Clearwater.
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Phillies' Wen Hui Pan: Comes off 60-day IL
Rotowire
High-A Jersey Shore reinstated Pan (finger) from the 60-day injured list Friday.
Pan is poised to make his 2024 debut with Jersey Shore after he was placed on the IL coming out of spring training due to a broken pinkie finger on his right hand. He should make his first start for Jersey Shore in the coming days after he completed four rehab starts between the rookie-level Florida Complex League and Single-A Clearwater. He covered 8.1 innings over those four starts, striking out 13 batters while allowing four earned runs on nine hits and two walks.
Phillies' Weston Wilson: Homer, three hits in loss
Rotowire
Wilson went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's 8-7 loss to the Pirates.
Wilson extended the Phillies lead to 3-0 with an RBI single in the first inning before launching a solo home run off Martin Perez in the third, his first long ball this year. The 29-year-old utility player had gone just 1-for-8 in four games before Friday's outburst. Following Whit Merrifield's release, Wilson should remain with the Phillies in a bench role, and he could see the occasional start against left-handed pitching. He has displayed some power at the minor-league level, slugging 31 home runs last year with Triple-A Lehigh Valley before slashing .240/.340/.487 with 18 homers in 71 games at the level this season.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Saddled with loss, blown save
Rotowire
Alvarado (1-4) took the loss after blowing a save Friday against Pittsburgh, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk in just one-third of an inning. He struck out one.
Called upon to protect a 7-5 lead in the ninth, Alvarado allowed the first two batters to reach safely before allowing a walk-off single to Nick Gonzales. It's the third blown save this year for Alvarado, who's now given up seven runs in his last five appearances (4.1 innings). The left-hander's ERA is up to 4.35 on the season with a 1.25 WHIP and 41:17 K:BB across 39.1 innings.
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Phillies' Aaron Nola: Shaky to start second half
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Nola didn't factor into the decision Friday against the Pirates, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out four.
After the Phillies jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, Pittsburgh responded with three straight hits off Nola in the bottom of the frame before tying the game 3-3. The 31-year-old right-hander had delivered five straight quality starts prior to the All-Star break, working to a 3.13 ERA in that span (31.2 innings). Overall, Nola is 11-4 with a 3.54 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 120:28 K:BB across 124.2 innings this season. He currently lines up for a road matchup with the Twins in his next outing.
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Phillies' J.T. Realmuto: Could return this weekend
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Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Friday that Realmuto (knee) is "very close" and could be activated from the 10-day injured list as soon as this weekend, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Thomson had said just before the All-Star break that it was unlikely Realmuto would return this weekend for a series against the Pirates, but evidently the catcher is progressing more quickly than expected. Realmuto had right meniscus surgery in mid-June, and he's been upping his workouts lately without issue. It would appear he will not need a rehab assignment before being activated.
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Phillies' Brandon Marsh: Idle against lefty
Rotowire
Marsh is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.
With southpaw Martin Perez on the mound for Pittsburgh, the lefty-hitting Marsh will take a seat. Marsh went 0-for-8 with four strikeouts during a three-game series against the Athletics leading into the All-Star break. Weston Wilson will bat seventh and play left field Friday.
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Phillies' Johan Rojas: On bench Friday
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Rojas is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.
Rojas won't be in the starting lineup for the Phillies' first game after the All-Star break. Weston Wilson, Cristian Pache and Nick Castellanos will fill the outfield against Martin Perez and the Pirates.
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Phillies' Bryson Stott: Not facing lefty
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Stott is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.
Stott will take a seat Friday with southpaw Martin Perez on the mound for Pittsburgh. In his place, Edmundo Sosa will handle the keystone and bat sixth. Stott has a .676 OPS with six homers and 22 stolen bases this season.
