The Philadelphia Phillies have placed reliever on the 15-day injured list with back spasms. In a corresponding move, the team recalled another veteran star from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take his spot on the 26-man roster. Top star has been shuttling between the majors and Triple-A in recent weeks.
Veteran star, who has primarily served as a multi-inning reliever this season with one spot start, holds a 2-1 record and a 5.28 ERA over 31 appearances. He also has a 2.13 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a 1.51 WHIP, and a 5.12 FIP in 2024.
The Phillies recently signed veteran pitcher and agreed to have him optioned to Triple-A to build up before joining the major league roster. However, Robertson isn’t eligible to be recalled until early August—unless he’s replacing an injured player or someone placed on another list. This likely explains why Alan Rangel was called up instead.
Rangel, who has been starting in the minors, offers the ability to pitch multiple innings—something the Phillies value given the uncertainty surrounding Taijuan Walker’s role in the rotation. With Joe Ross landing on the injured list, having a long-relief option like Rangel is especially useful.
In the majors this season, Rangel has posted a 2.25 ERA and one save over two appearances, along with a 1.67 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 1.50 WHIP, and a 4.59 FIP. In Triple-A, he’s started 17 games, compiling a 5-3 record with a 4.75 ERA, 2.94 K/BB rate, 1.38 WHIP, and 5.36 FIP. Despite working as a starter in the minors, there’s currently no indication that Rangel will be used in that role with the Phillies.