The Philadelphia Phillies optioned rookie right-hander to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after he struggled following his impressive major league debut, where he struck out nine batters.
In a corresponding move, the Phillies recalled reliever Seth Johnson from Lehigh Valley ahead of their Friday game against Cincinnati.
Abel, 23, made six starts for the Phillies, posting a 2-2 record with a 5.04 ERA, along with 21 strikeouts and nine walks.
“Mick needed to go down and breathe a little bit,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Just get a little reset. It’s not uncommon.”
Standing 6-foot-5, right-hander Mick Abel was selected 15th overall by the Phillies in the 2020 amateur draft. He made an impressive mark in May against Pittsburgh, where his nine strikeouts tied the Phillies’ record for most strikeouts in a debut, a feat set by Curt Simmons against the New York Giants on September 28, 1947.
However, Abel has struggled in his recent starts, failing to pitch past the fifth inning in any of his last four outings. On Wednesday, he was hit hard, giving up five runs in just 1 2/3 innings against San Diego.
Last year, Abel went 3-12 with a 6.46 ERA at Lehigh Valley, walking 78 batters in 108 2/3 innings. This season, he has shown improvement, going 5-2 with a 2.53 ERA in eight minor league starts, while walking 19 batters in 46 1/3 innings.
“This guy’s had a really good year,” Thomson said. “His poise, his composure is outstanding. He’s really grown. We just need to get back to that. Just attack the zone and get through adversity.”
The Phillies will give Taijuan Walker another start in Mick Abel’s absence, facing San Francisco. Walker has been used both as a starter and in relief over the past two seasons. This year, he’s made eight starts and 11 relief appearances, posting a 3-5 record with one save and a 3.64 ERA.
Manager Rob Thomson mentioned that a final decision on who will take the fifth spot in the rotation after the All-Star break has not yet been made. Top prospect Andrew Painter, who has two more scheduled starts in Triple-A before the break, could potentially earn a spot in the rotation.
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