Phillies’ September roster isn’t final with one more pitcher waiting for a call

As the calendar turns to September and rosters expanded to 28 players, the Philadelphia Phillies made a handful of moves to finalize their roster (for now). The team called up two familiar faces, Kody Clemens and Tyler Phillips, while demoting struggling reliever Yunior Marte in favor of José Alvarado, who was activated from the restricted list.

Despite the plethora of moves, the Phillies roster may not be set as one pitcher awaits his next chance with the big club.

Phillies’ September roster isn’t final with Kolby Allard waiting for a call

Left-handed pitcher Kolby Allard is expected to be considered for a spot on the roster once he is eligible to be recalled on Sept. 10. Allard was sent down on Aug. 27 in favor of Max Lazar and has to wait 15 days until he returns to the roster.

Allard has pitched well in limited action this season, posting a 2-0 record with a 3.50 ERA in four games (three starts). The former first-round pick has rebounded well from a disappointing start to his career with the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. In his first six seasons in the league, he posted a dismal 9-24 record with a 6.10 ERA in 206 innings. 

As far as the recent call-ups who are currently on the roster, Tyler Phillips and Kody Clemens have both spent significant time with the team this season. Phillips returns to Philadelphia where he will have the opportunity to start in the place of Taijuan Walker, who was moved to the bullpen following an abysmal return from the injured list last month.

Phillips pitched well at the start of his Phillies tenure, posting a 1.80 ERA in June, including a complete-game shutout win against the Cleveland Guardians on July 27. In August, however, Phillips struggled, giving up 17 runs in just 11 innings and was sent down in favor of Tyler Gilbert. 

Clemens has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Phillies and has shown promise in limited action due to his power and versatility. Clemens has spent time at every position in a Phillies uniform with the exception of catcher, even making four appearances on the mound in 2023.

His recent promotion comes after a torrid August in which he hit .326 with 31 hits in 96 at bats including six home runs at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. At the major league level in 2024, Clemens has three home runs and a .753 OPS in 25 games but was sent down when Bryce Harper returned from the injured list in early July.

In the event that Kolby Allard is called back up to the big leagues, the Phillies will likely choose between Phillips, Lazar and José Ruiz as the player who is sent down in a corresponding move. The decision would likely be between Lazar and Phillips, as Ruiz is out of options, meaning the Phillies can't send him down without exposing him to waivers.

Phillips got clobbered for six runs on eight hits while recording just two outs on Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays. The result likely sealed his fate as the next arm to be optioned back to Triple-A.

If Allard can continue his resurgence, he provides the Phillies much needed starting pitch depth as we enter the homestretch of the season. With the Phillies' fifth starter spot open at the moment, he has a chance to help the team clinch their first NL East title since 2011 and gain some momentum heading into the postseason.