Game 115 - Phils Suffer Ugly Loss in 11 Innings

Washington Nationals	10
Philadelphia Phillies	4

11 Innings

2014 Topps Heritage #282

Wednesday Night, August 5th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
61-54, 2nd Place, 8 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The bullpen couldn't keep the Nationals from scoring in extra innings as the Phillies fell in ugly fashion, losing 10-4.

What It Means:  The loss snapped a four-game win streak.  The Phillies still have a chance at a series win if they take tonight's series finale.  Alumni Weekend with the Blue Jays coming to town is on tap next.

What Happened:  Andrew Painter allowed a first inning run, then settled in to pitch three scoreless innings before departing with hamstring tightness.  Interim manager Don Mattingly then emptied his bullpen over the next seven innings with new acquisitions Brooks Raley and Caleb Kilian faring the worst.  The duo allowed a combined seven runs on four hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings pitched.  Kilian's outing was the worse of the two as it came in the 11th and resulted in the Nationals winning the game.

Luis Arraez hit a solo home run in the second, his first as a Phillie.  Bryson Stott connected for an RBI single in the seventh to tie the score at 3-3.  Both teams traded runs in the 10th before Kilian entered in the 11th, giving up five runs (four earned) and retiring only one of the five batters he faced.  Derek Hill had to the leave the game in the 11th after running full force into the center field wall, trying to corral what would be a two-run triple by CJ Abrams, and ultimately the winning hit.

Featured Card:  Kilian's appearance had me thinking back to Heath Hembree, one of the worst deadline day bullpen acquisitions ever.  Hembree had a decent 11-year big league career, but had a 12.54 ERA in 9 1/3 innings pitched for the Phillies in 2020.  He never appeared on a Phillies baseball card, but here's a card he shared with another short-term Phillies pitcher, Kevin Siegrist.  Here's hoping things turn around for Kilian in the coming weeks.

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Bamboo Brad Returns; Flurry of Ex-Phils Sign Elsewhere

2021 Chachi New Additions #10

2021 Chachi Departures #3

2021 Chachi Departures #4

2021 Chachi Departures #5

2021 Chachi Departures #6

On Wednesday, the official first day of spring training, the Phillies announced the return of popular super utility player Brad Miller, who had spent last season with the Cardinals.  Miller's introduction of a lucky bamboo plant to the Phillies clubhouse during the summer of 2019 sparked a mini winning streak, and led to an increase in bamboo sales across the local area.  To make room for Miller on the 40-man roster, reliever Seranthony Dominguez was placed on the 60-day IL as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery.

At this point, most of the ex-Phillies that made up the rogue's gallery of the 2020 team have found new homes, with the exceptions of relievers Jose Alvarez and David Robertson.  The day will come when we no longer have to reflect back on the pain caused by the team's 2020 bullpen.  Of the players listed below, I'm saddest to see the departure of Phil Gosselin and I hope The Phillies Room Favorite finds himself a steady job on the Angels' roster.

Departures - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Deolis Guerra - rhp (10/14/20) - Elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics (2/2/21).
• Trevor Kelley - rhp (10/14/20) - Elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs (12/14/20).
• Jose Alvarez - lhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Jake Arrieta - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed with the Chicago Cubs (2/17/21).
• Jay Bruce - of (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees (2/12/21).
• Tommy Hunter - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets (2/14/21).
• Brandon Workman - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Phil Gosselin - inf (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels (2/11/21).
• Heath Hembree - rhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, singed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians (2/5/21).
• Adam Morgan - lhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs (2/12/21).
• Blake Parker - rhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians (2/16/21).
• David Phelps - rhp (10/30/20) - Club option declined, elected free agency, signed with the Toronto Blue Jays (2/11/21).
• David Robertson - rhp (10/30/20) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Reggie McClain - rhp (12/10/20) - Selected by the Yankees in the minor league portion of the annual rule 5 draft.
• Garrett Cleavinger - lhp (12/29/20) - Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers with the Phillies receiving Jose Alvarado in exchange from the Tampa Bay Rays.
• Kyle Garlick - of (1/22/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
• Victor Arano - rhp (1/22/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
• Cole Irvin - lhp (1/30/21) - Traded to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.

2021 Chachi Departures #7

2021 Chachi Departures #8

2021 Chachi Departures #9

2021 Chachi Departures #10

2021 Chachi Departures #11

Coming Back - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Ronald Torreyes - inf (10/15/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies as a minor league free agent (1/4/21).
• J.T. Realmuto - c (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies (1/29/21).
• Didi Gregorius - ss (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies (2/10/21).

New Additions - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Johan Quezada - rhp (10/30/20) - Claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins.
• Ian Hamilton - rhp (12/7/20) Claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.
• Kyle Holder - inf (12/10/20) - Selected from the Yankees in the annual rule 5 draft.
• Jose Alvarado - lhp (12/29/20) - Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays with the Dodgers receiving Garrett Cleavinger in exchange.
• Sam Coonrod - rhp (1/9/21) - Acquired from the San Francisco Giants for Carson Ragsdale.
• Archie Bradley - rhp (1/18/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Cincinnati Reds.
• C.J. Chatham - inf (1/18/21) - Acquired from the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later.
• Matt Moore -lhp (2/3/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.
• Chase Anderson - rhp (2/8/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Toronto Blue Jays.
• Brad Miller - inf (2/17/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Already Gone - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Kyle Holder - inf (1/30/21) - Traded to the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations.
• Ian Hamilton - rhp (2/5/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins.
• Johan Quezada - rhp (2/10/21) - Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash considerations.

2020 Chachi #43 Heath Hembree

#43
Richard Heath Hembree
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  220
Opening Day Age:  31
Born:  January 13, 1989, Spartanburg, SC
How Obtained:  Acquired from the Boston Red Sox with Brandon Workman, cash and a player to be named later for Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold, August 22, 2020
Contract Status:  Signed through 2020
Major League Teams:  San Francisco Giants 2013; Boston Red Sox 2014-2020; Philadelphia Phillies 2020

First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A

Newest Card Added:  N/A

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  2014

0 - Hembree baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/24/20.

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2020 Chachi #43

No matter how many times I encounter this, it's still mind-boggling to me how a relief pitcher like Heath Hembree, owner of 250 career appearances dating back to 2013, has one and only one Topps flagship set appearance to his name.  How is he so consistently overlooked?  Hembree appeared in 62 and 67 games respectively for the 2017 and 2018 Red Sox.

He was graced with a Topps Total card this year, so I'll need to track that down for my 2020 Phillies binder.

Hembree also is that rare player to assumes the uniform number of the guy he was traded for.  Nick Pivetta, now pitching at the Red Sox' alternate training site, wore #43 during his four-year stint with the Phillies.

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Phils Add Sox Relievers for Pivetta, Top Prospect

2020 Topps Heritage #297

2019 Topps Total #175

2020 Topps Total #189

2017 Bowman Draft #BD-77

In desperate need of semi-reliable bullpen arms, the Phillies acquired Red Sox closer Brandon Workman and reliever Heath Hembree on Friday night for former starting pitcher Nick Pivetta and top pitching prospect Connor Seabold.  The Red Sox sent cash to the Phillies to cover a portion of Workman's and Hembree's remaining 2020 salaries, and a player to be named later will be coming to the Phillies eventually as well.

22 games into this shortened season and the Phillies bullpen is on pace to be one of the historically worst bullpens of all-time.  GM Matt Klentak, who failed to strengthen the weak bullpen in the offseason, needed to make a move now if the Phillies have any hope of claiming one of the 8 National League play-off spots up for grabs this year.  As of right now they're on the outside looking in, not in the playoff picture at all.

Workman was the key to the deal for the Phillies, and he could (and should) take over closer duties from Hector Neris.  As Corey Seidman Tweeted, Workman has the lowest opponents' batting average in the majors (.141) since the start of last season among pitchers with at least 75 innings pitched.  He saved 16 games for the Red Sox last year, going 10-1 with a 1.88 ERA over 73 games.  He's a free agent following the season, so this is a pure rental move by the Phillies.

Hembree, again from another Corey Seidman Tweet, has a fastball that has averaged 94.4 mph the last four seasons and only Zack Wheeler exceeds that mark among current Phillies pitchers.  Over the past seven seasons with the Red Sox, he has a 3.70 ERA over 251 games.  Hembree is under control through next season, so he already factors into the team's 2021 bullpen plans.

And for my final Corey Seidman Tweet reference, Nick Pivetta's 5.50 ERA over 396 1/3 innings pitched is the highest ERA among any Phillies pitcher with that manny innings logged since 1931.  So that's not great.  Acquired from the Nationals in 2015 for Jonathan Papelbon, Pivetta showed flashes of brilliance every once in a while, but most of his appearances ended in frustration.  He departs the Phillies with a 19-30 record over four seasons, with 92 appearances including 71 starts.

The wild card here is Connor Seabold, one of the Phillies top 25 prospects entering the season.  Seabold, a right-hander who projects as a solid middle of the rotation starter, has pitched as high as Double-A and he was a surprise addition to the team's Player Pool in July.  Like Addison Russ, traded a few hours before this deal to the Yankees, letting Seabold go could come back to haunt the Phillies.

Arrived During the 2020 Season

• David Hale (rhp) - 8/21/20, Acquired from the New York Yankees for Addison Russ (rhp).
• Brandon Workman (rhp) and Heath Hembree (rhp) - 8/21/20, Acquired from the Boston Red Sox with cash and a player to be named later for Nick Pivetta (rhp) and Connor Seabold (rhp).

Departed During the 2020 Season 

• Nick Williams (of) - 8/15/20, Selected off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds. 
• Edgar Garcia (rhp) - 8/18/20, Traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named later.
• Nick Pivetta (rhp) - 8/21/20, Traded to the Boston Red Sox with Connor Seabold (rhp) for Brandon Workman (rhp), Heath Hembree (rhp), a player to be named later and cash.