3) Phillies reliever Andrew Bellatti will be sent down for a fresher arm
Andrew Bellatti is going to win a trip back to Lehigh Valley before we get to June 1. As one of the handful of relievers with minor league options, he’s bound to head back to the minors for a fresher arm at some point. It’s inevitable. Based on his numbers, he’s the easiest choice for the job.
Through his first 11 appearances, Bellatti is the owner of a 5.59 ERA. It’s only through 9.2 innings but with 6 walks already to go with the 6 earned runs, his time with the Phillies could be short-lived.
Bellatti should remain on the list of Phillies bullpen options this year. He was impressive last year, going 4-4 with a 3.31 ERA in 54.1 innings of work. A rate of 12.9 strikeouts per 9 helped earn him a spot as one of the team’s more trusted arms. He can definitely get back there again this year if only because the Phillies seem to have a couple of untrustworthy veterans at the moment.
Trust should be earned and not handed out easily. Bellatti can earn ours back. For now, he’s probably the next guy shipping out. He should bounce between the majors and minors all year as Philadelphia looks to take one step further and win the World Series.