The Philadelphia Phillies finally decided to demote rookie pitcher Mick Abel to Triple-A on Friday. With that decision comes the admittance that the young right-hander wasn't going to be the team's solution to the fifth rotation problem.
Abel was supposed to fill in for veteran Aaron Nola, who's on the injured list and likely won't return until sometime in August. But after a tough 1 2/3 innings against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, when he gave up five runs on five walks and two hits, raising his ERA to 5.04, the Phillies had seen enough.
Dealing Mick Abel at trade deadline still on some Phillies fans' minds
Abel has long been a potential candidate for the Phillies' trade block, and fans have been ready to say goodbye to the 2020 first-round pick for a while. The "trade Mick Abel" coalition was back out in force after the Phillies made their roster announcement on Friday morning.
Shaun Davis on X (@shaun21424928) brought up the Phillies' need for bullpen help at the trade deadline.
Why not trade mick ? I can think of a couple of bullpen arms we need @johnmiddleton
β Shaun Davis (@shaun21424928) July 4, 2025
He's not wrong. The Phillies needing bullpen help might be the worst kept secret in Major League Baseball. With struggles from the majority of relievers this season, plus JosΓ© Alvarado's PED suspension that will keep him out of the playoffs, the Phils could use an arm or two.
Aside from Orion Kerkering (2.41 ERA), no other Phillies reliever has an ERA below 3.60. At 4.42, the bullpen has the sixth-highest ERA in the majors.
Mick Abel's trade value has dropped since his MLB debut
However, the Phillies might run into one issue if they're trying to deal Abel before the July 31 deadline. His value was at an all-time high after his MLB debut on May 18. He dazzled the Pittsburgh Pirates with nine strikeouts over six shutout innings, and it looked like his previous command problems that plagued his minor league career were a thing of the past.
Since that debut, Abel's value has gradually dropped. It plummeted with back-to-back rough outings against the New York Mets, who hit four home runs against the No. 8 prospect, and then the most recent one against the Padres.
Should've traded him when his value was sky high pic.twitter.com/lDmcklmyr3
β Zach πΊπΈπ (@Philly_Zach) July 4, 2025
While Abel's trade deadline value might not be enough to be worth including him in a deal, some fans are just happy that he's back in Triple-A. How long he'll be there is anyone's guess. The Phillies thought it was time for a "reset," according to MLB.com's Paul Casella.
"I thought Mick just needed to go down and breathe a little bit," manager Rob Thomson said on Friday, per Casella. "Just get a little reset. It's not uncommon."
Unfortunately, not everyone will be as ecstatic with the Phillies' plan for the rotation spot Abel was filling. According to The Athletic's Matt Gelb, Taijuan Walker will return to the rotation. His next start will come on Tuesday when the Phillies are on the West Coast visiting the San Francisco Giants.
The experiment is over! Yahoooo
β Wyatt Bishop πΊπ¦ (@wy7757) July 4, 2025
For anyone rolling their eyes at the Phillies' latest shuffle, Walker does have a 3.62 ERA in eight starts this season. This will be his third stint in the rotation this year. The 32-year-old right-hander was moved back to the bullpen at the end of May after allowing seven runs over nine innings in his last two starts.
The good news is that thanks to the All-Star break, the Phillies won't need a fifth starter until July 22 (subscription required), per Gelb. So, the Phillies have some time to figure out what to do both with their rotation and with Abel.
Maybe they can squeeze another major league start out of the rookie to try to boost his trade value before the end of the month.