Michael Mercado Becoming a member of Phillies' Rotation

The Phillies have seen a pair of starters go down with accidents up to now week, as Taijuan Walker hit the injured record with a hand damage and Spencer Turnbull might be out as much as eight weeks because of a lat pressure. That’s left a emptiness in the back of Philly’s rotation, and it’ll be stuffed — at the least within the short-term — by 25-year-old righty Michael Mercado, reports Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

A second-round choose by the Rays in 2017, Mercado’s journey to Philadelphia’s huge league workers in some methods mirrors that of latest rotation-mate Christopher Sanchez. Each had been traded from the Rays to the Phillies in prospect-for-prospect swaps that drew minimal consideration on the time of the deal. Sanchez’s commerce grew to become considered one of word, as he’s risen his profile whereas infielder Curtis Mead (who went again to the Rays) emerged as considered one of Tampa Bay’s prime prospects. Mercado is newer to the Phillies group, having been acquired final November in trade for minor league lefty Adam Leverett.

Since touchdown with the Phillies, Mercado’s outcomes have been glorious. He’s pitched in 14 video games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, 10 of them begins, and posted a sterling 1.71 ERA in 47 1/3 frames. His 22.8% strikeout fee, 11.9% stroll fee and .240 common on balls in play all recommend that ERA could possibly be in for some regression, but it surely’s been an enormous step ahead over his 2023 efficiency even when the microscopic earned run common doesn’t look solely sustainable.

Mercado cut up the ’23 season between Double-A and Triple-A within the Rays’ system and labored virtually completely out of the bullpen, pitching to a mixed 4.79 ERA. To his credit score, he fanned a large 35.4% of his opponents working in brief reduction the place his stuff may play up, however he additionally walked greater than 13% of his opponents and surrendered a dozen longballs in 62 innings (1.74 HR/9).

On the time he was drafted, Mercado required an over-slot dedication to forgo his school dedication to Stanford. Baseball America referred to as him “some of the polished and projectable highschool pitchers” within the 2017 draft class, rating him as that yr’s No. 48 draft prospect. He jumped proper into the Rays’ prime 15 prospects the next season. He suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament not lengthy after the draft, nevertheless, wiping out his total 2019 season. Like all different minor leaguers, he additionally misplaced the 2020 season when the Covid-19 pandemic led MLB to cancel the minor league marketing campaign solely. House runs and walks continued to outweigh Mercado’s sturdy strikeout numbers all through the remaining three years of his Rays tenure.

Now, with the Phillies in want of rotation assist, Mercado will get a short-term have a look at the very least. Turnbull is out till at the least mid-August. Walker gained’t be eligible to return till at the least July 7 and has struggled to an unsightly 5.60 ERA in 10 begins even when wholesome this season. High Phillies pitching prospect Andrew Painter has but to pitch this season whereas recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure. The group’s different top-ranked arm, former first-rounder Mick Abel, has an alarming 7.08 ERA and 15.5% stroll fee in Triple-A this season. Depth choices on the 40-man roster like Kolby Allard and Max Castillo have additionally pitched poorly in Triple-A.

All of that has paved the best way for Mercado to get his first huge league beginning alternative, greater than seven years after he was chosen with the No. 40 total choose within the draft. The Phillies have some of the enviable beginning staffs in MLB with Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez and the aforementioned Sanchez main the best way, which ought to take some strain off Mercado. However relying on how lengthy Walker is out and the way he and Mercado carry out within the short-term, the previous Rays prospect may pitch his approach right into a extra distinguished function with the Phils. Mercado already made his MLB debut this week, tossing one scoreless inning after being referred to as up as a reliever, however a bigger alternative is now there for the taking.