The Phillies have optioned two right-handed pitchers as a “procedural move.”
Just days remain until the Philadelphia Phillies’ three-game exhibition slate gets underway, starting July 18 in Washington, D.C.
Soon, manager Joe Girardi and his staff will have to make tough decisions as to which players in the team’s player pool will make the 30-man Opening Day roster.
Monday evening, the Phillies made two transactions to their pitching staff, optioning right-handed pitchers Enyel De Los Santos and Robert Stock, according to The Athletic’s Meghan Montemurro.
According to Girardi, De Los Santos and Stock being optioned does not affect their chances to make the team out of summer camp; rather, the skipper calls the transactions a “procedural move.” They will remain pitching at summer camp in South Philadelphia.
Crisp first inning from Enyel De Los Santos. Four batters, four groundouts.
— Bob Wankel (@BobWankelCB) July 12, 2020
Here he is getting Rhys Hoskins. pic.twitter.com/cLMrbHKTFW
De Los Santos, 24, is the Phillies’ No. 8-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com. The right-hander is still considered a rookie, despite making his big-league debut in July 2018. That is largely because the Dominican Republic native has made just 12 appearances, including three starts and five games finished. Over that stretch, he is 1-1 with a 5.70 ERA, 24-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.500 WHIP.
The Phillies claimed Stock, 30, off waivers from the San Diego Padres in late October after being transferred to the 60-day injured list a month prior due to a strained biceps muscle. Spanning 10 relief appearances and 10 2/3 innings in 2019, the two-year veteran in Stock yielded 14 runs (12 earned), 14 hits and eight walks en route to a 10.13 ERA and 2.063 WHIP.
Stock was much better a year prior, posting a 2.50 ERA and 1.261 WHIP across 32 relief appearances.
Neither De Los Santos nor Stock appeared in a Grapefruit League game down in Clearwater prior to the shutdown due to the COVID-19 crisis.
With the duo being optioned, the Phillies could be looking at add players to their 40-man roster to replace them, perhaps some of the non-roster invitee arms such as top pitching prospect Spencer Howard and/or Trevor Kelley, who pitching coach Bryan Price both praised on Monday.
While Howard and Kelley are in the team’s player pool, they still need to be added to the 40-man roster in order to be eligible to be added to the active roster.
These are likely the Phillies’ first of several moves over the next 11 days, leading up to the July 24 season opener.