Former high-ranked Phillies prospect set for MLB debut

Former Phillies prospect Connor Seabold is set to debut this weekend.

It seems like forever ago when the Philadelphia Phillies parted ways with Nick Pivetta and prospect Connor Seabold — as part of what seemed like a desperate trade then-general manager Matt Klentak made with the Boston Red Sox.

In reality, the August 2020 trade was not long ago … but fans likely wan’t to forget it. In return, the Phillies received two relievers — Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman — who combined surrendered 23 earned runs in 22 1/3 innings.

Fast-forward to now, and there is a “good chance” that Seabold will make his highly anticipated Major League debut on Saturday, away against the first-place Chicago White Sox, according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora.

Seabold had been with the Red Sox on their current road trip, as a member of the taxi squad. The 25-year-old went 2-3 with a 3.67 ERA, 44-13 strikeouts-to-walks ratio, and 1.056 WHIP spanning eight starts and 41 2/3 innings this season at Triple-A Worcester. He was on the injured list for most of the season, until late July, due to elbow inflammation.

In the California native’s most recent WooSox start, he tossed six scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and three walks while striking our four batters.

Coincidentally, the 2017 Phillies third-round draft pick’s debut would come as the replacement to Pivetta, who must test negative and clear COVID protocols to return to the Red Sox rotation. Even Pivetta’s career has found new life as a member of the American League East organization, going 9-7 with a 4.67 ERA and 151-62 strikeouts-to-walks ratio across 26 starts and 135 innings.

Considering the Phillies have an extreme lack of starting pitching depth — coupled with Zach Eflin’s recent injury announcement that could keep him sidelined to start the 2022 season — they would surely undo the Pivetta and Seabold trade with the Red Sox in a heartbeat, if they could.