The Phillies appear to be making one more move this season as a potential bullpen upgrade.
On Friday, Matt Gelb reported that the Phillies would be calling up Orion Kerkering to the Major League roster.
Sources: The Phillies are promoting Orion Kerkering to the majors today. The hard-throwing righty reliever started the season at Low-A Clearwater and now he's in the bigs. They'll see what he's got.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) September 22, 2023
For Kerkering, it is an almost meteoric rise. He started this season at about the lowest level he could in Low-A Clearwater. In just one season he worked his way through Clearwater and Jersey Shore, where he was simply dominant with an incredible 1.17 ERA in 30.2 innings pitched.
When he moved up to AA Reading, he had a pretty very rocky start giving up two runs in just his third outing. But that was one of just three outing in AA he allowed runs despite appearing in 21 games. He posted a 2.05 ERA there in 22 innings. He even maintained his fabulous strikeout to walk ratio (33 to 5).
He was promoted to AAA Lehigh Valley for the final week of the minor league season after the AA season had finished. He appeared in one game there and did not allow a run in his only appearing, which included a strikeout.
Kerkering, along with Johan Rojas, was announced as the Paul Owens Award winner just a day ago.
Overall, his journey through the minors, just one season after being a fifth-round pick, has seen him post a 1.51 ERA in 53.2 innings. He recorded 79 strikeouts in that time and just 12 walks.
The Phillies No. 7 prospect, Kerkering has a good fastball with a killer slider. While he does have other pitches, those two will likely be his bread and butter.
Now the Phillies will now get the opportunity to see Kerkering pitch against Major League bats in large crowds to see if he could be a factor next year or perhaps even for a playoff run this year.
To make room on the active roster, Yunior Marte was optioned to AAA. To make room on the 40-man, Drew Ellis was designated for assignment.
