Pedro Florimon can play many positions around the diamond (Frank Klose/Sports Talk Philly)
The Phillies made a roster move after yesterday's finale with the San Diego Padres. After striking out 11 Padres in his five innings of work, allowing just three earned runs, starter Nick Pivetta was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. After some consternation from the Twitterverse, I noted that the Phillies have an off day Monday, followed by a Tuesday double-header against the Marlins. The Phillies took advantage of a roster loophole.
Here's how it works: when a team plays in a doubleheader, the current rules allow the club to add a 26th player to the roster. Normally when a player is optioned to the minor leagues, they must remain there for 10 days. The 26th man rule allows for an exception. So, it looks like Pivetta will be on the Triple-A roster until Tuesday, start, and then be eligible to re-join the Phillies roster five days later. Thanks to an off day, 10 days from yesterday would mean Pivetta spent the required time "in Triple-A", while not missing a single start.
The move allows the Phillies to add utility player Pedro Florimon who, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com and others, is present with the Phillies in San Francisco. As we noted yesterday, the injury to Odubel Herrera necessitated some extra position player help. The Phillies appear to wish to avoid adding Herrera to the disabled list, so the 26th man move gives the Phillies essentially a 26th man for the next 10 days. Florimon can help in the infield and outfield if necessary.
The Phillies will, however, have to make a 40-man roster move. Starter Jake Thompson was scratched from his start today at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The move could mean that a player on the active roster could lose a spot and the Phillies fill it with Thompson, who is already on the 40-man roster. The way the Phillies have used Adam Morgan, he has not been valuable to the club and designating Morgan could be a possibility.
Or, the Phillies could activate Pedro Beato from the disabled list and designate his contract for assignment. Doing so would be a shame for Beato, who earned a call-up with an All-Star Triple-A season, and promptly got injured in his first appearance with the Phillies. Beato is a veteran who has bounced around several organizations and is not part of the club's future, so he could be the roster casualty.
Or, the Phillies could add the likes of Roman Quinn and Jesmuel Valentin, both 40-man roster members who have been injured for an extended period of time, promptly putting them on the 60-day disabled list. Doing so would cost the Phillies a major league salary and both would accrue major league service time. It's not likely they would do so, but it is at least a possibility. Had either player been healthy, the Phillies probably would have used both.
UPDATE: The Phillies used the Beato option, activating him from the disabled list and then designating his contract for assignment. There was no official word on why Thompson was scratched, but he very well could be used to start in Tuesday's doubleheader.
