Phils Add Sox Relievers for Pivetta, Top Prospect

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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.

Phillies Announce Initial Player Pool

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Where were we?

On March 13th, I posted the final spring training game summary post from the game played on Thursday afternoon, March 12th.  The Phillies won, 8-4 against the Rays in Port Charlotte.  Following that game, baseball went on indefinite hiatus as the world grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic.  A few weeks later, on March 26th, I posted on what would have been Opening Day with the mundane news that the Phillies had optioned six players to Lehigh Valley and the active roster (including non-roster invitees) stood at 52.

While live baseball was paused, I started going through my 1985 Phillies Scrapbook, posting game summary posts 35 years after the fact.  My plan is to keep doing those posts from 1985 through July 16th and that year's All-Star Game.  I'll then (hopefully) return to live baseball posts as the Phillies are set to open their 2020 season on either July 23rd or July 24th.  I've read reports that up to three exhibition games will be played prior to the start of the regular season.

Which brings us to today.  On Sunday, the Phillies released their initial Player Pool with 53 players, out of a potential 60, that will be eligible for play during the shortened 60-game season.  For the first time since March 26th, here's the updated math for the Camp Head Count, and it's a bit convoluted how we got here.

Camp Head Count:  This is best explained in steps, and keep in mind we were at 52 back on March 26th.

• Minus 2 - Non-roster invitees Drew Storen (rhp) and Matt Szczur (of) were released.
• Minus 1 - The injured Seranthony Dominguez (rhp) was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right elbow strain.  He's headed for Tommy John surgery and will miss significant time.
• Minus 7 - Seven players who had been non-roster invitees were not included on the initial Player Pool list, including Christian Bethancourt (c), JD Hammer (rhp), Henri Lartigue (c), Nick Maton (inf), Mickey Moniak (of), Anthony Swarzak (rhp) and Luke Williams (inf).
• Plus 10 - Ten players who had been optioned or re-assigned earlier in the year were brought back and added to the Player Pool list - Garrett Cleavinger (lhp), Edgar Garcia (rhp), Kyle Garlick (of), Deivy Grullon (c), Cole Irvin (lhp), Damon Jones (lhp), Mauricio Llovera (rhp), Reggie McClain (rhp), JoJo Romero (lhp) and Nick Williams (of).
• Plus 1 - Pitching prospect Connor Seabold, not included as a non-roster invitee back in February/March was added to the list.

If you're keeping score at home, that's 52 - 2 - 1 - 7 + 10 + 1 = 53.

Notable omissions include Austin Davis (lhp) and Odubel Herrera (of).  The Phillies currently have 39 players on their 40-man roster, with four players left off this initial Player Pool list - Davis, Adonis Medina (rhp), Cristopher Sanchez (lhp) and Arquimedes Gamboa (inf).  Two veterans from the original non-roster invitee list who could eventually be added to the Player Pool are Bethancourt and Swarzak.

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