Phillies make 5 more spring cuts, including Abel and Rincones Jr. originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Phillies removed five more players from their spring training roster after Tuesday’s 18-8 win over the Red Sox in Fort Myers, leaving 45 active players in camp.
Right-hander Mick Abel was optioned to Triple A Lehigh Valley after allowing four runs (three earned) in 1⅔ innings of his only Grapefruit League appearance Tuesday.
And four non-roster invitees — outfielders Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Matt Kroon, infielder Otto Kemp and catcher Paul McIntosh — were reassigned to minor-league camp.
Abel, the Phillies’ first-round pick in 2020, has not had a smooth ride through the minor leagues. The 23-year-old has walked 143 batters in 221 innings over the last two seasons.
“I think the number one play is always to attack the zone but I think that I kinda tend to overthink a lot of things and try to do too much, whether it’s in bullpens or games,” Abel said last month. “Pretty much just simplifying the approach as much as possible. I’ve got the stuff to do well and I’ve got the stuff to get guys out, it’s just getting it in the zone and attacking.”
The Phillies’ three roster battles are for backup catcher (Rafael Marchan vs. Garrett Stubbs), the last bench spot and final two bullpen roles (assuming Matt Strahm won’t be ready for Opening Day because of his left shoulder impingement).
Three of the Phillies’ four bench jobs will be claimed by Edmundo Sosa, the backup catcher and most likely Johan Rojas. Remaining players in camp who are in consideration for the final spot are Kody Clemens, Buddy Kennedy, Christian Arroyo, Oscar Mercado and Cal Stevenson. It likely would have gone to Weston Wilson if not for an oblique strain sidelining him until at least April. The players who can play both infield and outfield will have a leg up. Clemens can, and Kennedy has been working in left field to try to increase his versatility.
Every player from that group except Stevenson is out of minor-league options.
In the bullpen, it was assumed the Phillies would have only one open seat but Strahm’s shoulder injury will likely make it two. Taijuan Walker has the inside track to one of the jobs. The other is a battle involving Nabil Crismatt, Jose Cuas, John McMillon, Nick Vespi, Koyo Aoyagi, Devin Sweet, Tyler Phillips, Kyle Tyler, Michael Mercado, Guillo Zuñiga and Joel Kuhnel.
It’s unclear whether the winner will be the one who pitches the best in spring training or the one who offers an alternate look the Phillies deem most valuable. Cuas and Aoyagi are side-armers and Crismatt’s repertoire is based around offspeed offerings. Vespi is the only lefty of the bunch. Hard-throwing John McMillon has experienced the best results among them this spring, with five strikeouts over four scoreless innings.
The Phillies still have 13 Grapefruit League games remaining and the regular season begins March 27 in Washington D.C.
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