TAMPA, Fla. — Spencer Turnbull did one thing uncommon Friday — at the very least uncommon by spring coaching requirements. He wearing full uniform and sat within the Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen throughout a Grapefruit League recreation with out pitching. Turnbull has by no means been a reliever in his skilled profession. The Phillies instructed him he may pitch, however they didn’t intend to make use of him.
“We need to get him acclimated to being on the market every single day,” Phillies supervisor Rob Thomson stated. “Simply being mentally and emotionally able to pitch.”
So, on Saturday, the Phillies deliberate for Turnbull to pitch three innings as a reliever. However, one hour earlier than first pitch, the plan modified. Taijuan Walker didn’t really feel proper after he performed catch Saturday morning. So, Turnbull began towards the New York Yankees as a result of he’s now in all probability part of the Phillies’ rotation.
“That’s why you might have all of the depth,” Thomson stated.
The Phillies simply didn’t count on to faucet into it this quickly. They’ll know extra about Walker’s state of affairs Sunday. He was examined Saturday by a physician in Florida after he complained of shoulder stiffness earlier than a routine bullpen session.
“He didn’t say ache,” Thomson stated. “He simply stated it didn’t really feel proper.”
Even when the exams are favorable, Walker was already behind. He is not going to begin Monday’s spring finale as scheduled. He’s all however sure to start the season on the injured checklist.
Walker’s spring has been interrupted thrice. He missed a couple of days earlier in camp to take care of a private matter. He then reported proper knee soreness that delayed his development. When he’s pitched, the outcomes haven’t been good, however much more regarding is his diminished stuff. His fastball has sat round 90 mph.
When requested after his begin earlier within the week how his knee felt, Walker indicated no concern.
“Nice,” he stated. “I imply, I really feel like my physique is shifting so good proper now. Very athletic. Transferring fast and stuff. We’ve actually been busting our asses. Working actually arduous.”
So, for now, it’s a possibility that Turnbull didn’t count on. Detroit discarded him after he posted a 6.79 ERA in 57 innings (counting his minors work) in 2023. He fired his agent, employed Scott Boras and filed two grievances towards the membership for demoting him to the minors when he claimed he was injured. The Tigers later reversed the non-compulsory assignments to grant Turnbull a full 12 months of service time.
MLBPA assertion re: Spencer Turnbull pic.twitter.com/hdUyqjqNrh
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) November 20, 2023
Then, the Tigers declined to tender him a contract for 2024.
Detroit was the one group Turnbull had identified. He signed a $2 million take care of the Phillies, who had envisioned him as rotation depth. (Turnbull, due to his service time, would have needed to consent to a minor-league task.) Now he’s extra integral to a contending group.
“It’s been great,” Turnbull stated. “I can’t say sufficient good issues about it. Very completely different. Fully completely different vibes in lots of other ways. I’ve beloved it to date, and hopefully, it’s simply going to proceed to get higher. I’ve loved each second of it.”
Turnbull threw 51 pitches in three scoreless innings Saturday towards the Yankees. He leaned on a sweeping slider that he began throwing this spring; Turnbull threw it 18 occasions to Yankees batters. He struck out Aaron Decide wanting on a sweeper.
Turnbull throws completely different variations of a slider. He can manipulate it. Giancarlo Stanton whiffed at an 87 mph pitch that confused Caleb Cotham, the Phillies pitching coach.
“What was that?” he requested Turnbull.
“That was a sweeper,” Turnbull stated. “I simply threw the piss out of it.”
Turnbull is a thinker. He’s spent lots of the spring asking questions — to teammates, coaches, athletic trainers, energy coaches and anybody who comes close to him. His divorce with the Tigers was messy, and it was shocking to see him signal a assured major-league contract — particularly with a group that has designs on profitable.
He’s not identified for his command. The Phillies have tried various things this spring to enhance it. The very best-case situation was just a little extra time; perhaps Turnbull might go to Triple A and implement some completely different concepts from a brand new group. The Phillies had envisioned Dylan Covey because the lengthy man, however Covey damage his shoulder earlier this month. He’ll miss time.
So, the Phillies must expedite issues with Turnbull. He has not pitched greater than 57 innings in a season — between the majors and minors — since 2019. He didn’t pitch in any respect in 2022 as he recovered from Tommy John surgical procedure. He stated a neck damage and cracked toenail derailed his 2023 season. It’s truthful to marvel what number of innings Turnbull might log in 2024, however he stated he has felt wholesome this spring.
“Final 12 months was such a bizarre 12 months,” Turnbull stated. “I wouldn’t use that as any sort of a benchmark for bodily stuff.”
And he’s extra snug in a beginning function.
“He’s attention-grabbing,” stated Garrett Stubbs, who caught him Saturday for the primary time.
“He throws strikes,” Thomson stated. “He misses barrels. He have to be misleading. He’s received this large slider. … I like him. He’s received expertise and he’s been at this degree earlier than.”
The roster state of affairs is unresolved at this level. The Phillies go away Florida on Monday. They won’t take Orion Kerkering with them; he’ll start the season on the injured checklist as a result of he’s not ready after lacking nearly three weeks with an sickness. If Turnbull slides into the rotation, that leaves three bullpen jobs to settle.
Luis Ortiz will possible land considered one of them. He throws strikes and might pitch a number of innings. The trail of least resistance is handing the opposite two jobs to Yunior Marte and Connor Brogdon. Neither has been nice this spring, particularly Brogdon, who struggled once more Saturday.
The Phillies like what José Ruiz, a non-roster righty, has carried out this spring. He might nudge his manner onto the group. The Phillies might additionally make a waiver declare or signal somebody who didn’t make one other membership’s roster as cuts throughout the league occur.
Thomson stated no outfield selections had been made. However there have been indications this weekend that the Phillies might carry each Johan Rojas and Cristian Pache on the Opening Day roster — leaving Jake Collapse limbo.
Even earlier than Walker’s shoulder drawback, there was mounting concern in regards to the veteran who’s within the second 12 months of a four-year, $72 million deal. Possibly the shoulder explains the mediocre stuff he confirmed this spring.
“Anytime a man has one thing like that this late within the spring,” Thomson stated, “you’re just a little bit involved.”
The Phillies will know extra Sunday. However, on Saturday, they knew Turnbull was extra vital to them than he was a day earlier than when he sat within the bullpen simply to study what it felt like.
(Picture of Spencer Turnbull: Reinhold Matay / USA At the moment)