The Phillies Opening Day roster is getting much clearer as we are just a couple days away from the first pitch in Cincinnati. As the team headed into Spring Training with three veteran relievers on minor league deals, looking to make the best of their minor league invite. Andrew Bailey, Edward Mujica, and Ernesto Frieri all have big league closing experience. The hope was that one of them would make the Major League roster and have an impact. At the end of Spring Training, all three did not make the roster, and neither did the Phillies' newest signing that seemed like a lock.
Todd Zolecki of Phillies.com reported the moves along with two others:
#Phillies sent to minor leagues after the game: RHPs Andrew Bailey & Ernesto Frieri, C J.P. Arencibia and OF Will Venable.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) April 2, 2016
Mujica previously was released and re-signed to a minor league deal.
The Phillies added Will Venable on a minor league deal after he was cut loose from the Cleveland Indians and Venable almost seemed like a lock for the Opening Day roster. However, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin repeatedly spoke of how much he liked invitee Cedric Hunter. It appears that Hunter will make the Opening Day roster. The same is likely true for Emmanuel Burriss. Neither player were on a leaked minor league roster obtained by Clearwater-based minor league blogger Baseball Betsy earlier today.
A second surprise is the apparent inclusion of reliever Hector Neris on the Major League roster. Neris pitched to a 6.23 earned run average this Spring and was shakier at times than the veterans competing for spots. What Neris had going for him is that the club did not need to add him to the 40-man roster. The Phillies will have to add Hunter and Burriss, likely via 60-day disabled list moves for Aaron Altherr and Matt Harrison. The Phillies will have to find another space for James Russell, who also appears to have made the club.
An additional roster spot could be made by moving reliever Mario Hollands to the 60-day disabled list. Hollands has yet to throw this Spring and may need the 60 days to rehab as he continues to battle from Tommy John Surgery. If the Phillies prefer to see if Hollands returns in fewer than 60 days, the team could try to slip pitchers David Buchanan or Michael Mariot through waivers and outrighting them to AAA. Some have suggested Severino Gonzalez be cut, but Gonzalez is very young and the Phillies seem poised to let him develop.
Arencibia all along appeared to be a AAA lock. Without an opt-out clause, the Phillies likely will stash him at AAA in case of injury to Cameron Rupp or Carlos Ruiz. The Phillies went all of 2015 without an injury to a catcher and Arencibia gives the team insurance at AAA that is not top prospect Andrew Knapp, who could stay at AAA and continue to develop instead of being rushed should there be an injury.
