2024-25 Offseason - Pre-Thanksgiving Notes

2024 Choice Reading Fightin Phils (3rd Edition) #37

2024 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #15

2022 Choice Delmarva Shorebirds #18

2024 Choice Jersey Shore BlueClaws #7

Here's a look at a few recent Phillies-related news items as we head towards one of the best holidays of the year - Thanksgiving.

Lowy Joins Coaching Staff:  It looks as if the only turnover on manager Rob Thomson's coaching staff will be the assistant pitching coach.  Brian Kaplan recently left that role, taking the primary pitching coach position with the Diamondbacks.  He appeared on a few hard to find Phillies team-issued photo cards in 2022 and 2023, and I don't believe there are too many of those in the wild.

Replacing Kaplan is Mark Lowy.  Lowy joined the Phillies' organization in 2021 and has served as a backroom pitching analyst since then.  He played college baseball at Gettysburg College and has no baseball cards (yet) to his name.

Painter Wins Award:  On the road to recovery following Tommy John surgery, Andrew Painter (rhp) was named as the Arizona Fall League's Pitcher of the Year.  He was 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in six starts, striking out 18 and walking four over 15 2/3 innings.  I would expect to see Painter hopefully pitching in Philly at some point in 2025.

40-Man Roster Moves:  On Tuesday, the Phillies added pitching prospects Mick Abel (rhp), Jean Cabrera (rhp) and Moises Chace (rhp) to their 40-man roster, protecting them from the upcoming rule 5 draft.  John McMillon, claimed off waivers from the Marlins on November 4th, cleared waivers and was outrighted to the IronPigs.  The Phillies currently have 39 spaces filled on their 40-man roster.

Game 107 - Phils Lose Heartbreaker on Trade Deadline Day

2022 Topps Update #US146

2024 Choice Jersey Shore BlueClaws #4

2024 Topps Heritage #144

2022 Choice South Atlantic League Top Prospects

2023 Choice Delmarva Shorebirds #24

Yankees 7, Phillies 6 (12 Innings)
Game 107 - Tuesday Night, July 30th in Philadelphia
Record - 65-42, 1st Place, 7 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  In one of the more painful losses of the season, the Phillies couldn't keep rallying past the Yankees, losing 7-6 in 12 innings.

What It Means:  It's really not going well.

What Happened:  Aaron Nola pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing a pair of runs on seven hits, and departed with the Phillies holding a 4-2 lead.  Matt Strahm allowed a three-run home run to Jazz Chisolm in the top of the seventh, giving the Yankees the lead.  In the ninth, the Phillies battled back to tie the game when pinch-runner Johan Rojas scored on a wild pitch from Yankees' closer Clay Holmes.  J.T. Realmuto and Bryson Stott had both singled to start the mini-rally.  The Phillies loaded the bases in the 10th, but did not score.  The Yankees took the lead in the top of the 11th, but the Phillies again rallied to tie the game when Austin Hays singled home ghost runner Stott in the bottom of the 11th.  The Yankees pulled ahead for the final time in the top of the 12th against reliever Orion Kerkering, and the Phillies went down quietly in the bottom of the 12th.

Featured Cards/Transactions:  Prior to this debacle, Dave Dombrowski pulled off two more deals before the 6pm trade deadline.

Tanner Banks (lhp) was acquired from the Chicago White Sox for prospect William Bergolla (inf).  Banks is nearly unhittable when facing left-handed batters, and in 41 games and 48 innings with the White Sox this season, he had been 2-2 with a 4.13 ERA and a pair of saves.  Bergolla was batting .295 with 18 stolen bases for high-A Jersey Shore.

Gregory Soto (lhp) was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles for pitching prospects Seth Johnson (rhp) and Moises Chace (rhp).  The Phillies decided to move on from Soto, picking up two promising arms in the process.  In 1 1/2 seasons and 112 games with the Phillies, Soto was 5-8 with a 4.42 ERA and five saves.

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