Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels scratched due to illness, Tyler Cloyd to make debut
Tyler Cloyd, named the International League's best pitcher a day ago, will make his major-league debut Wednesday only because of an illness to Cole Hamels.
Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels scratched due to illness, Tyler Cloyd to make debut
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Tyler Cloyd, named the International League's best pitcher a day ago, will make his major-league debut Wednesday only because of an illness to Cole Hamels.
The Phillies announced Hamels will not start as scheduled because of a gastrointestinal illness. Replacing him is Cloyd, who was slated to pitch at triple-A Lehigh Valley. Instead, he will face the New York Mets.
Cloyd, 12-1 with a 2.35 ERA, has become a cause celebre for a fan base craving any sort of drama in the final weeks of a lost season. While posting gaudy numbers in the minors, his rise has been met with skepticism by many scouts because Cloyd rarely throws harder than 90 m.p.h.
Cloyd's strikeout numbers have dropped considerably in 2012 even as his success multiplies. That suggests a great deal of luck. The theory will be tested at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday.
An 18th-round pick in 2008, Cloyd was hardly on the radar screen entering the season. The 25-year-old righty was supposed to pitch for double-A Reading but started opening day for Lehigh Valley because of a last-minute suspension to another pitcher.
All he did was toss six no-hit innings with eight strikeouts.
It was the beginning of a charmed season for Cloyd, who finally has a chance to prove his doubters wrong.
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- Nice.
Now, if you could only have 'command' to go with that control!
Cloyd = next Greg Maddux? Just thinkin' but what do we know by a kid that blows away the A and AA levels? Not much.— 24sDad 
This is what it takes for the Phillies to give a young player a shot before he's 30 years old. The anxiety is probably at an all time high in the front office because of this unprecendented occasion.— AvoidSundanceVacations- I'm thinking Hamels is the immediate reason but they were going to do it for Worley anyway. Welcome to the bigs Tyler Cloyd.— s
- this is going to be very interesting tonight. sounds like a younger version on Jamie Moyer.— tony bell
- Now sign the hurler from the White Sox who used to pitch here and then sign Roger Clemens. That will give us Cloyd, Floyd, and Roid.— dasher
- yes if he pitches well then hopefully they'll have the sense to shut worley down and he can get the surgery he needs. not sure why they haven't done that yet— kilo_005
- OK with him added to the roster, who gets sent down?— BaseballinReading
- They had an open spot on the 40 man so no one's hitting waivers. Yet. The Phillies site says they'll announce the 25 man move before the game. BJ is probably packing his bags. — s
- Dom to DL or Poly to DL or DFA?
— DUDESKINS - Jered Weaver doesn't throw past 90 mph, and he's 15-3 or something like that. If you spot your pitches and they move, you've got a shot.— dblankj
- It's good to see someone rewarded for good performance with getting a chance. Now it's all up to him. In all honesty, I don't expect him to be anything more than a 5th starter type, but I really hope I'm (and lotsa scouts are) wrong. I think Ruf will come up after Reading's playoffs. He'll get more meaningful AB's in the AA playoffs (they'll play Trenton if they get in) than he will in the bigs right now. Then a little taste of Philly and off to the AFL for grooming in LF. But what do I know, I'm just a tv clown. Uggggghhhhh— Krusty
- Right-handed Jamie Moyer? Let's hope the young man has a good first start.— eman
Been pushing to see this kid since June. Would have been helpful if he came up earlier and allowed KK to stay in an already depleted pen. Oh well. Better late than never.
Keep in mind that he is at a career high for innings pitched already. Hope he's not tiring.
Still very exciting to watch a kid get his MLB debut.
Good luck Tyler !— zubzub
