According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies have obtained Tyler Gilbert, a left-handed pitcher, from the Reds. Gelb’s use of the term “purchased” suggests that the Reds will be compensated in cash. Since Gilbert was not included on the Reds’ 40-man lineup, he will not require a spot on the Phillies’ roster.
Gilbert, who is 30 years old, joined the Reds on a minor league contract during the offseason. He has pitched in seven games, three of which were as a starter, and has logged 11 and 2/3 innings. His current earned run average (ERA) is 13.11, which is not ideal but can be attributed to the small number of games played. Other statistics show better performance.
However, having a strong pitching lineup can quickly diminish, which is why many say that you can never have enough depth. The Phillies may consider having Gilbert primarily focus on relief work to tap into his potential. If he does make it onto the roster, he still has one option year left and has less than two years of service time.
Gilbert has 91 2/3 innings of major league experience, working as a swingman with the Diamondbacks over the previous three seasons, famously throwing a no-hitter in his first career start. He currently sports a 4.32 ERA in his career, with a 17.1% strikeout rate and 7.5% walk rate. He was outrighted by the Snakes at the end of last year, which led to his minor league deal with the Reds.
The left-handed player currently has an impressive .545 batting average on balls hit into play and a 43.3% success rate in stranding runners, both of which are considered to be unlucky and not sustainable in the long run. His strikeout rate of 20.6% and walk rate of 9.5% are close to average, and he has not given up any home runs so far this year. As a result, his FIP is calculated at 2.94 during his short time in 2024. Despite this, it appears that the Reds are willing to let him go and receive payment, while the Phillies are taking a chance on him.
The Phillies currently have sufficient starting options for the immediate future. Taijuan Walker has recovered from an injury and is now pitching, which has caused Spencer Turnbull to move to relief duty despite his impressive 1.67 ERA. The remaining rotation includes Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez. Max Castillo, who is on the 40-man roster, is also starting for the Triple-A team. Although prospect Mick Abel is not yet on the roster, he is also starting at the Triple-A level. Andrew Painter, who underwent Tommy John surgery in July of last year, may also join the team later this season after completing his rehabilitation.
