The Phillies announced that they’ve designated right-hander Ricardo Pinto for assignment this afternoon. The move opens up a spot on the active roster for right-hander Taijuan Walker, who the club activated from the 15-day injured list ahead of his start against the Padres in San Diego this afternoon.
Pinto, 30, signed with Philadelphia on a minor league deal back in February and got the call to the majors shortly after Opening Day. He’s struggled mightily in a multi-inning relief role int he majors this year, pitching to a 10.97 ERA with a 6.07 FIP in 10 2/3 innings of work across six appearances. He’s struck out just 13.6% of batters faced with the Phillies while walking 8.5%.
Given those brutal numbers, it’s hardly a surprise that the Phillies decided to pull the plug on Pinto, who first came up to the majors as rookie with the club back in 2017. Since then, he’s pitched in the Rays, White Sox, and Tigers organizations in addition to taking a sojourn overseas to pitch for the KBO’s SK Wyverns. While he’s posted a decent 4.43 ERA in 347 2/3 innings of work at the Triple-A level throughout his career, he’s never managed to pitch effectively in the big leagues as demonstrated by his career ERA of 9.07.
Looking ahead, the Phillies will have seven days to either work out a trade for Pinto or attempt to pass him through waivers. Should he clear waivers, the club would have the opportunity to assign him outright to the minor leagues, though Pinto would have the opportunity to reject that assignment in favor of free agency as a player who has previously been outrighted in his career.
Pinto’s departure from the roster makes room for the return of Walker, who has not yet made an appearance in the majors this season after starting the season on the IL due to a shoulder impingement. Walker is entering the second year of his four-year, $72MM contract with Philadelphia and enters the 2024 campaign on the heels of a decent 2023 season that saw him post a roughly league average 4.38 ERA with a 4.53 FIP in 172 2/3 innings of work. Both Walker and the Phillies are surely hoping that the right-hander will return to the form he showcased with the Mets in 2022, when he pitched to a solid 3.49 ERA (111 ERA+) with a 3.65 FIP in 29 starts.
In the meantime, the biggest question brought up by Walker’s return is what the club will do with righty Spencer Turnbull. Initially signed to act as a long reliever and swingman, the 31-year-old righty has been nothing short of dominant to this point in the season with a 1.33 ERA and 3.12 FIP in 27 innings of work across five starts. Per recent comments from club manager Rob Thomson, the club won’t decide what’s next for Turnbull until after Walker’s start tonight.
Overall he wasn’t very good but grateful for that gritty effort the day he got called up. Cheers to you Mr. Pinto.
As a Reds fan, I wasn’t grateful.
It was almost tear inducing each time he was called in from the pen
I owned a Ford Pinto once and “designated it for assignment”. In this case “DFA” meant “sell for scrap if anyone will take it”.
A “donation”, would be more humane!!
Every team is baseball needs a SP, trade Taijuan for a RH high leverage reliever or left handed hitting corner OF. Please don’t mess with the good vibes this rotation has going.
Where would the left handed hitting corner outfielder play?
Walker has a 3 year contract guaranteed for 54 million. What team is going to trade for that contract?
Walker proves why relying only on analytics to show how good/bad a player is is a poor idea. look at his numbers. break on his slider/curve show little, as does his spin. His once mid 90’s fb is now just 92-3mps and still has little movement. Why does he STILL get people out, continually like he always has when healthy? he knows how to pitch, has heart and nerves of steel. 3 things many in the game guys today lack and why have always liked this guy.
dombrowski made a heck of a good sign grabbing this guy, why he’s much smarter than his peers. Doesn’t rely soley on analytics only rubbish, but on what his eyes tell him and that Taijaun walker is a winner. Thru and thru.
Hmmm, then why didn’t they use him in the playoffs even once last year ? Turnbull is a far better pitcher now.
Turns out that the Phillies were really smart to reject bryce harper’s ridiculous demand for an extension. It was a ridiculous demand to begin with and the Phillies are only being proven more right in their decision based on how he is performing this season.
You just probably set the world record for talking a whole bunch of words; while saying nothing in the end. Impressive.
“proven more right in their decision based on how he is performing this season.”….by that logic Bohm should end up in MVP talks with a 350+ BA and 1.000+ OPS, right?
Spencer Turnbull is a top of the rotation starter
who has over come injuries to come back.
At least a “shared” 5th Starter role for Turnbull should be the Phillies plan.
Turnbull would be a perfect starter in the playoffs for the Phillies.
Here is Turnbull pitching a complete game NO HITTER for the Tigers.
He was named “Co AL Player of the Week” also.
mlb.com/phillies/video/top-5-moments-from-no-hitte…\
mlb.com/phillies/video/turnbull-is-co-al-player-of…
Big mistake and bone headed move by Tigers Pres of Baseball Ops to let Turnbull go over 2 million in arbitration.
Harris did not sign Turnbull so he did not feel vested in Turnbull’s roster spot with the Tigers .
Spencer Turnbull was drafted by Dave Dombrowski for the Tigers in 2014.
Dombrowski knows talent!
Pinto is toast. I hope Walker gets better because Turnbull seems much better.
Turnbull is on an innings limit this year, so a move to the pen was inevitable. Given his history w/ Dombrowski, all scenerios were discussed on his usage this season. Doesn’t matter what he says in interviews, he knew the outcome. Apparently he is gamer and why not want to stay in the rotation? If he is 1/2 as successful in the pen MAN that unit is stacked….
And funny Walker STILL won’t get a playoff start in 2024