Phillies are going to add bullpen arms, trades or no trades originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
CHICAGO – A couple of bullpen arms are making their way to the Phillies during the upcoming weeks, one the organization hopes will give them some serious help for the rest of the season, the other who will become just a rental for the rest of the regular season.
Recently acquired righthander David Robertson pitched another inning Tuesday for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs and his work was very pleasing to manager Rob Thomson.
“Good. One inning. Nine pitches. Gave up a base hit,” Thomason said. “The velocity was 90-plus. Didn’t touch 91. Threw strikes. He’ll pitch Friday. He wants to do it (back to backs). It might be a little bit early. He’s just building up.”
Robertson was signed by the Phillies on July 20 after sitting out the beginning of the season to be with his wife and kids, with the understanding that if the right opportunity arose, he could always go back and pitch. The 40-year-old got that itch and the Phillies were more than happy to have him join the team for his third stint.
The other reliever is lefthander Jose Alvarado, who was suspended on May 18 after testing positive for a performance enhancing drug. He is eligible to re-join the team on August 18, which could be a huge boost to the club. But his ineligibility for the post-season is a huge loss for the Phillies. The organization has been keeping in touch with Alvarado, who is back in Venezuela. The plans for him when he returns are going to be a little bit up in the air.
“I think when he first gets back you got to see how he’s throwing the ball, what type of command and that sort of thing,” said Thomson. “So maybe you start him off in some lower leverage (situations). If it’s really good you start moving him down towards the end of the game.”
Kepler getting close?
Following Tuesday’s win over the White Sox, Thomson spoke of the hard luck outfielder Max Kepler had in the game when he hit a couple of balls extremely well, only to be caught for outs. “This is going to sound contradictory but he’s getting the head out and staying in the middle of the field,” he said. “He’s getting the head out and finishing his swing. Short to, long through, however you want to call it. But his swing is a lot better.”
Whether the Phillies get a big bat before Thursday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline or not, they are simply going to need more offensively from Kepler, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract in the offseason. Heading into Wednesday’s game, Kepler had a .203 batting average in 305 at bats with 11 home runs and 33 RBI.
Lineup notes
The trade deadline influences many strange things in baseball, like players being traded in the middle of a doubleheader to a team they are playing (see Seranthony Dominguez) or players being pulled from a start at the last moment.
The White Sox were to start righthander Adrian House on Wednesday, but he was lifted in favor of lefthander Tyler Alexander. The Phillies had their lineup posted in the clubhouse, then took it down, then put it back up with no changes, meaning Thomson’s heavy left-handed lineup would face Alexander. The reasoning?
“I’m going to stay with it just cause I don’t know how long this guy is going to go,” said Thomson. “He’s been a starter in the past but he hasn’t had multiple innings. He got up to three innings within the last month and he just pitched the other night.”
