Spring training keeps moving along and baseball fans can feel the excitement building for Opening Day. Plenty of players are trying to make their case for jobs, and the Philadelphia Phillies are still trying to figure out who will fill out the final spots on their roster when they break camp and head north to open the season on March 27 against the Washington Nationals.
In the first two rounds of spring training roster cuts, the Phillies moved some popular top prospect names to minor league camp. The first round saw shortstop Aidan Miller (No. 2 in the Phillies system) and outfielder Justin Crawford (No. 3) reassigned. The second round, on Saturday morning, included right-handers Moisés Chace (No. 5) and Jean Cabrera (No. 11) being optioned to Double-A Reading. The moves continued on Saturday afternoon and again Sunday morning.
Phillies’ bullpen hopeful Max Lazar optioned after tough spring training showing
Following the Phillies’ 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, they announced another roster cut, with right-handed reliever Max Lazar being optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after a tough time on the mound in Grapefruit League play this spring. Lazar, 25, was looking to carve out a spot in the Phillies bullpen to begin the year, but his performance sunk his chances early.
Following today’s game, the Phillies optioned RHP Max Lazar to Lehigh Valley (AAA).
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) March 8, 2025
In four spring appearances, Lazar had a 17.18 ERA and 3.00 WHIP with three strikeouts and four walks in 3 2/3 innings. Two of the seven hits he gave up were home runs. He pitched a clean final inning on Saturday against Toronto before the demotion and should remain in play as a bullpen option this season, with three minor league options remaining and a good track record in Double- and Triple-A last year.
After signing with the Phillies in December 2023, Lazar posted a 1.87 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 43 1/3 innings across the two levels last season, eventually earning time in the majors. He made a good first impression, throwing a clean 1 1/3 innings in his MLB debut on Aug. 10, followed by two strikeouts in a clean inning the next day. After a stretch of seven scoreless appearances, things fell apart for the former Milwaukee Brewers draft pick. He gave up seven runs on 11 hits over 7 1/3 innings in his final four games before being sent back down to Triple-A.
Phillies also reassign right-hander Austin Schulfer
The Phillies announced an additional move on Sunday ahead of their home game with the Baltimore Orioles, reassigning right-hander Austin Schulfer to minor league training camp. Schulfer, 29, signed a minor league contract with the Phillies this past offseason.
He appeared in four games with the Phillies this spring, posting an 8.10 ERA and 2.10 WHIP in 3 1/3 innings. The Minnesota Twins' 19th-round draft pick in 2018 will act as organizational depth this year after posting a 4.94 ERA in 54 2/3 minor league innings in 2024 in the Twins' and Detroit Tigers' systems.