The Philadelphia Phillies are rolling after sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates on a Sunday that was ripe with juicy storylines. The Phillies knew that pitching prospect Mick Abel would make his major league debut in a spot start for the injured Aaron Nola.
Abel pitched tremendously, tossing six shutout innings and tying the franchise record for most strikeouts in a starting pitcher's debut, with nine, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. What the team didn't know, however, is that they would be without one of their most important players for most of the regular season and the postseason.
Before the Phillies' series finale versus Pittsburgh, they were hit with shocking news that closer José Alvarado would be suspended 80 games for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy, thus making him ineligible to pitch in the postseason. Now more than ever, the Phillies should look to their prized prospect to contribute during their current pitching shortage.
Mick Abel deserves to help the Phillies' pitching staff amid the absences of Nola and Alvarado
It was made clear on Friday by Phillies manager Rob Thomson that it would only be one start in the majors for Abel before being sent back down to Triple-A after the game. Baseball is a business, but that never seemed fair, and even more so now after Abel's stellar debut. The solution to all of the Phillies' recent pitching developments is painfully obvious to any Phillies fan who watched Abel electrify the sold out crowd at Citizens Bank Park.
Instead of rejoining the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Abel should stay in the Phillies' rotation until Nola returns from his right ankle sprain, with Taijuan Walker staying with his current role in the bullpen. Abel has never pitched in relief in his professional career, whereas Walker has looked more than solid since being moved to the bullpen. It's unclear what the future holds for Abel once Nola returns, as there isn't a guaranteed role for him in Philadelphia beyond 2025.
Four of the five pitchers in the Phillies' rotation this year are under contract for 2025, with there being a good chance that Ranger Suárez goes elsewhere in free agency. It's widely expected that MLB Pipeline's No. 5 prospect Andrew Painter will slide into the Phillies' 2026 rotation alongside Zack Wheeler, Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, and Jesús Luzardo.
That leaves Abel as the odd man out, therefore it's pretty likely that Abel will be dangled by the Phillies as trade bait for a high-leverage reliever this trade deadline, as their top two prospects, Painter and Aidan Miller, are reportedly off-limits. As pending free agents, the St. Louis Cardinals' Ryan Helsley and Washington Nationals' Kyle Finnegan are the top relievers expected to be moved at the deadline.
Though it's unlikely, maybe the Phillies see a future in Abel as a reliever, as his stuff certainly plays as an effective bullpen arm. It's clear to see why any team would be intrigued in acquiring the 2020 first-round pick, but until then he has earned the opportunity to clean up the Phillies' murky pitching situation.