Rookie pitcher and Philadelphia Phillies’ No. 8 prospect Mick Abel is set to make his second career start on Wednesday in the second game of a three-game series against the Blue Jays in Toronto.Â
Abel had initially been slated to start Thursday’s series finale, but the rotation was reshuffled in light of Zack Wheeler’s upcoming paternity leave.
Selected 15th overall by the Phillies in the 2020 MLB Draft, the 23-year-old right-hander will look to build on his sensational May 18 debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he struck out nine over six scoreless innings while allowing just five hits and no walks. His nine strikeouts tied a franchise record for a debut, first set by Curt Simmons in 1947.Â
Abel’s return to the Majors comes amid a recent rotation shake-up, prompted by Aaron Nola’s injury and Taijuan Walker’s move back to the bullpen.Â
Last Friday’s outing against the Milwaukee Brewers—where Walker lasted just four innings, allowing seven hits and four runs while striking out six—marked what is expected to be his final start in the rotation. On Sunday, the team announced that the veteran right-hander would be moving back to the bullpen.Â
Walker had been filling in for Nola in the starting rotation after Nola was placed on the injured list on May 16 with a right ankle sprain sustained during agility drills on May 8.Â
The shift to the bullpen could ultimately benefit Walker. As Mike Axisa of CBS Sports noted, Walker has been significantly more effective early in outings—holding opposing hitters to a .564 OPS with a 4.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his first 25 pitches. That efficiency drops noticeably beyond that point, with opponents posting a .740 OPS and just a 1.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio from pitch 26 onward. The numbers highlight how well Walker performs in shorter stints, something the Phillies hope to capitalize on. “I think he has a chance to make us a lot better out of the ‘pen,” manager Rob Thomson said.
With Walker moving back to the bullpen, a vacancy in the starting rotation has paved the way for Abel’s return.Â
Abel rejoins the rotation with momentum on his side. Since being optioned back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following his debut against the Pirates, he’s been dominant—allowing just one earned run over 10.2 innings while striking out 16 in two starts. Those outings are part of a strong overall campaign in the minors this season, where Abel has compiled a 6–2 record with 67 strikeouts over 57 innings and a 1.23 WHIP across 10 total starts.
Still, despite his strong showing in the minors, it’s too early to tell how long Abel will remain with the big-league club this time. “It all depends on Nola — and how well Mick does,” Thomson told reporters on Sunday. “But we’re going to assume Mick’s going to do well.”Â
Nola threw a bullpen session prior to Sunday’s game and would likely go on a Minor League rehab assignment before rejoining the team.
In the meantime, all eyes will be on Abel as he takes the mound for Wednesday’s matchup against JosĂ© BerrĂos, who enters the game with a 2–2 record, a 3.86 ERA, and 65 strikeouts on the season for the Blue Jays.
Wednesday’s start presents Abel with a valuable opportunity to strengthen his case for a permanent spot in the Phillies’ rotation as he looks to build on his early success.Â
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