The Phillies did some roster manipulation to add Justin Bour to the roster and activating J.P. Crawford from the disabled list. But even though the Phillies had the extra bat, the team did not use Crawford even once in the time since his activation. So the Phillies, who need to make some changes this week to accommodate a double-header, made a move.
The Phillies announced the move:
#Phillies have recalled RHP Héctor Neris from Lehigh Valley (AAA).
To make room on the 25-man roster, INF J.P. Crawford was optioned to Lehigh Valley yesterday. pic.twitter.com/VxvEoNjK38 — Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 14, 2018
Phillies fans may remember Neris struggling, but he has performed well in Triple-A.
At Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Neris appeared in 19 games. In those games, Neris was 2-0 with a 1.45 earned run average. The IronPigs used Pedro Beato as the closer, so Neris did not generally get the team's save opportunities, though he was credited with one save and one blown save.
Should Neris be able to return to his old self – the closer who saved 20 games in a row to finish out 2017 – the Phillies could use a boost. Current closer Seranthony Dominguez has seen a dip in his velocity and has blown his two most recent save opportunities. The dip in velocity could be seen as a sign of fatigue for the young pitcher who had not pitched in such a role before 2018.
Crawford, meanwhile, is likely to return September 1. Because he will not have spent 20 days in the minor leagues, this will not count as an option year o
