MIAMI – For most of the early part of the season, the Phillies rotation was as predictable as Tuesday following Monday. While other teams had to make changes because pitchers got hurt or were ineffective, the Phillies didn’t have to make an adjustment until Taijuan Walker got healthy enough to bump Spencer Turnbull.
It seemed too good to last. It was.
When righthander Seth Johnson makes his Major League debut against the Marlins on Sunday at loanDepot Park, he’ll become the fifth Phillies pitcher since the beginning of July – a full rotation’s worth – to make his first start of year. For a variety of reasons Michael Mercado, Tyler Phillips, Orion Kerkering and Tyler Phillips have all gotten assignments since then.
While all that was going on, Johnson was going about his business pitching for the Double-A Bowie Bay Sox in the Orioles organization. Then, at the trade deadline, things began to change for the 25-year-old when he was traded to the Phillies (along with another prospect, righthander Moises Chace) for reliever Gregory Soto.
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Less than six weeks later, he’s in the big leagues.
“It’s unreal,” he said Saturday in the visitor’s clubhouse at loanDepot Park. “It really hasn’t set in yet.”
Said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski: “When we acquired him, we didn’t necessarily anticipate he’d be starting for us at this time. But he’s a guy we did like. But he’s thrown the ball really well and put himself in a position to get a chance to start for us.”
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Johnson made two starts at Double-A Reading, then was promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He made three starts for the IronPigs (going 2-0, 0.56) and now will be staring down the Marlins with his family (parents, step-mother, brother and his wife) in from North Carolina and his agent watching from the stands.
He’s so new to the organization that when Rob Thompson first saw him in the clubhouse, the manager wasn’t sure who he was. “Just looking at the tape, he looks good. Delivery is good. Stuff plays. So we’ll see what we’ve got,” Thompson said.
“There’s going to be some (nerves). There always is, for everybody. How you handle it and how you can get through it, clear your head and stay poised, sometimes that’s tough.”
On the other hand, the Marlins know very little about him, either. “Sure, I think it’s tough for hitters a lot of times,” Thomson added. “Especially the experienced guys. They have a memory bank and they put things away. They have a memory of what a guy’s stuff does and how they’ve approached him. When you see a guy for the first time it can be tough. So, hopefully, he’s got that going for him.”
Johnson, originally a first-round draft pick by the Rays in 2019, said he’s noticed a difference in philosophy between the Orioles and Phillies. “I think the big thing is that Baltimore is very data-based,” he said. “Here’s a nice blend of the numbers and baseball strategy. Kind of old school. And I’ve been really enjoying it so far. For me, it’s kind of simplified everything. Concentrating on basic concepts like moving the fastball around. Not worrying about pitch shapes all the time. Just going out here and trying to pitch.”
It remains to be seen how long Johnson sticks. One factor, of course, could be how well he performs Sunday. Another could be that Allard is legible to be recalled as early as Tuesday. And then there’s the fact that he underwent Tommy John surgery two years ago and the Phillies are still closely monitoring his workload.
Johnson will be opposed in the series finale by Marlins RHP Edward Cabrera (3-6, 5.33) with first pitch scheduled for 1:40 p.m.
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