Phillies still have pitching decisions to make
The bullpen meltdowns are causing all sorts of roster issues.
WASHINGTON - Tasked with fortifying a beleaguered bullpen, the Phillies had two choices. They could have added either Luis Garcia or Adam Morgan, two arms with extensive big-league experience who happened to be the only reserve relievers on the current 40-man roster. The organization's decision makers have not yet reached the point of shuffling the roster to accommodate a different pitcher.
That could change if the bullpen malaise deepens.
"I think we could," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before Friday's postponement at Nationals Park.
This was always a potential pitfall of the full 40-man roster: The Phillies do not have the sort of roster flexibility that is ideal. They are six weeks into the season and not willing to expose a 40-man player to waivers in order to add another minor-league player.
So Garcia traveled with the team to Washington, where his No. 57 jersey awaited. It marked the 21st transaction involving Garcia since he was placed on the 40-man roster in 2013. He replaced Jake Thompson, who will return to triple-A Lehigh Valley's rotation, in the bullpen.
"At this point, you would like to have more to choose from, to take the hot hand of whomever is pitching well and have him on the roster," Mackanin said. "Since that's not the case, we still think Garcia has enough ability to where if it clicks, he could be really good. At this stage, we're going to exhaust all possibilities of him doing that."
The Phillies still believe Hector Neris, Joaquin Benoit, Pat Neshek and Edubray Ramos can form the backbone of a successful bullpen. Jeanmar Gomez is eligible to be activated from the disabled list Tuesday, but it is unclear what his current status is. Gomez declined to answer a reporter's question about his injury, which the team called a right elbow impingement.
"In the next few days, I assume that he is going to throw," Mackanin said.
For now, Garcia is nothing but an extra arm. If they could choose from outside the 40-man roster, they could look at someone such as Hoby Milner, who was in spring training with the American League champion Cleveland Indians and has yet to allow a run or walk a batter in 10 appearances at triple-A Lehigh Valley. He is lefthanded.
Three righthanded relievers - Jesen Therrien, Yacksel Rios and Alexis Rivero - have thrived at double-A Reading with high strikeout totals and sharp command. Pedro Beato, Michael Mariot, Colton Murray and Pat Venditte are at triple A and all have time in the majors.
But the results will have to come from the more prominent relievers who have been inconsistent to start the season. Mackanin would love to have his relievers align in set roles, but a collection of uneven performances prompted him to rearrange things.
The festering issue is that the Phillies' relievers have not struck out enough batters and walked too many. Their 20.4 percent strikeout rate ranked 25th in baseball entering Friday's action. The 10.8 percent walk rate was fourth highest. That is not a winning equation.
Extra bases
The Phillies and Nationals will play a day-night doubleheader Sunday, with games at 1:35 p.m. and 7:05. Nick Pivetta will start Saturday against Tanner Roark. Jeremy Hellickson will pitch the afternoon game Sunday against Gio Gonzalez, with Vince Velasquez starting in the nightcap opposite Max Scherzer. . . . Aaron Nola will start Monday in Rochester, N.Y., for the IronPigs, Mackanin said. That would slot him to return to the Phillies rotation next Saturday in Pittsburgh.
@MattGelb