According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, the Philadelphia Phillies have outrighted right hander Sean O'Sullivan off of their 40-man roster.
O'Sullivan, 27, will either be claimed by another team, report to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs or choose to be a free agent.
A corresponding addition to the 40-man roster will reportedly be made later today. The Phillies might add a reliever until Saturday, when the team needs another starter.
In the right hander's previous five outings, including early Tuesday morning's 10-7 defeat to the Dodgers, O'Sullivan allowed 42 hits, 24 runs (23 earned), nine walks and seven home runs in 25.2 combined innings.
O'Sullivan had just one winning decision over his last 131.1 innings of the mound, dating back to May 17, 2011 as a member of the Kansas City Royals.
Rumored names to earn the call up to the majors include right hander David Buchanan, who made his first appearance Friday since suffering a right ankle sprain on May 17, and prospect Aaron Nola.
Buchanan, 26, lost each of his first five starts this season. He allowed 32 hits, 24 runs and 15 walks over 24.2 innings, to yield an 0-5 record and a 8.76 ERA. After being optioned to Lehigh Valley on May 2 to work on his command, Buchanan never returned prior to his injury nearly two weeks later.
Jake Kaplan of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes:
David Buchanan was slated to start Tuesday for Lehigh Valley. The organization could keep his start brief – in essence making it a glorified bullpen session – and fly him out to the West Coast for Saturday. Or perhaps the Phillies will promote top pitching prospect Aaron Nola, whose fifth day falls on Thursday, and have him pitch on a week's rest?
Nola, 22, was promoted to the IronPigs from the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils on June 14. In his four starts since, Nola is 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA.
Overall in 2015, the seventh overall pick in the 2014 amateur draft out of the Louisiana State University is 10-3 with a 1.97 ERA over 16 starts.
Phillies' general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. recently told the following to MLB.com Phillies' beat writer, Todd Zolecki regarding Nola:
“He's close. He’s still working on some things. He struggled through a couple of games. He hasn’t necessarily been knocked around, but it hasn’t been easy for him. He’s still learning some things and dealing with more veteran hitters in Triple-A, which is a good test for him. I don’t think he’s that far away, but when he’s ready he’ll be here. Just because our rotation is very poor right now it doesn’t mean we’re going to bring him to the big leagues for that reason. We’re going to bring him when it’s time for him developmentally.”
This quote likely means Buchanan will rejoin the rotation for the first time since April, however the Phillies have been known in the past to change their minds on a decision.
Matt Rappa (@mattrappa) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com.
