Philadelphia Phillies: Starting Rotation Will Soon Be Supplemented
By Sean O'Brien
The Philadelphia Phillies starting rotation has been reduced by late-season subtractions. Supplemental additions will soon be seen.
One, if not two starting pitchers will soon be leaving the Philadelphia Phillies’ rotation. The team recently needed to put Aaron Nola and Zach Eflin on the 60-day disabled list due to injury. Vincent Velasquez is nearing an innings limit and Jeremy Hellickson remains a waiver trade candidate. The loss of one, or both, men would likely result in Lehigh Valley IronPigs arms being added to the rotation.
Recall options include David Buchanan and prospects Ben Lively and Alec Asher (after his 80-game PED suspension is lifted). Veterans Phil Klein, or James Russell, could be summoned as well. The Phillies aren’t expected to be in serious Wild Card contention by September. So, general manager Matt Klentak and manager Pete Mackanin will simply be looking for pitchers who can perform well. Prospects who perform could be auditioning for 2017’s rotation.
Lively was obtained from the Cincinnati Reds for Marlon Byrd in December 2014. He’s performed exceptionally well between Double-A and Triple-A this season. The 24-year-old right-hander has started a combined 25 games, has a 1.015 WHIP and sports a 15-5 record. Buchanan and Asher, while young, have consistency issues. Klein and Russell are considered 4-A pitchers.
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Velasquez is certain to end his season shortly. The 24-year-old right-hander missed the 2011 season due to Tommy John surgery. Combine that with some other health issues experienced in past seasons and it’s fair to tag this particular mound man as understandably hypersensitive. Cole Hamels was a ‘delicate genius’ early in his Phillies’ career. Whether ‘VV’ is able to reach the heights achieved by ‘Hollywood’ remains to be seen. But if so, all extraordinary precautions will prove worthwhile. Otherwise, Velasquez might come to be seen as more self-centered than a team player.
Philadelphia will likely shut Velasquez down for the season within his next 3-plus starts. His career high mark for innings pitched (124.667) came in 2013, when he was working at the Single-A level for the Houston Astros. He’s thrown 119 innings this season for the Phillies. His velocity, generally a good indicator of arm fitness, has been solid.
Hellickson is generating his best seasonal statistics since winning the American League Rookie of the Year Award with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011. The right-hander went 13-10 that season, posting a 1.153 WHIP, 128 ERA+, 2.95 ERA and a 3.8 WAR. Other than 2014, when elbow surgery limited him to 13 starts, Hellickson has been generally durable. He’s started 27 or more games in his other four full major league seasons. His 2016 efforts indicate that the off-season trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks for then-Rookie League pitcher Sam McWilliams was reasonable.
This season Hellickson has already started 25 games, which ties him with Jerad Eickhoff for the team lead in that category. Hellickson leads Phillies’ starters in innings pitched (150), ERA+ (117) and sports the lowest WHIP (1.140). Philadelphia sees him as a valuable trade chip for the right return.
He could be back next season if the Phillies’ probable qualifying offer is accepted. If it’s not, the team will receive a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds of next June’s amateur draft.