He was 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in the Phillies bullpen. It had to be too good to be true, right? Apparently so. The Phillies today played left-handed reliever Joe Savery on the 15-day disabled list with elbow stiffness, reports the Phillies. To take his place on the active roster the Phillies turned to Raul Valdes, who most recently pitched for the team on May 15th.
Valdes has a 1-0 record and a 7.85 ERA in the majors this season. At AAA Lehigh Valley, Valdes was 3-4 with a 3.11 ERA. Valdes ended up a starter by default at AAA with the recall of Jonathan Pettibone and Tyler Cloyd during the early going. He made 12 starts total and did not appear out of the bullpen for the Iron Pigs. The Phillies probably will use him as a long man.
Savery finally was getting an extended look in the major leagues this season prior to the injury. The former first round draft pick rebounded nicely in his career, once giving up pitching to become a first baseman/designated hitter at class A. A 23-inning game in 2011 when the Clearwater Threshers were desperate for a pitcher caused him to return to the mound, where he showed his fastball had returned and began the climb back up the organizational ladder.
