Could Michael Plassmeyer play an important role for the Phillies?
The past week hasn’t been kind to the Phillies’ starting pitching depth.
Star prospect Andrew Painter was the first domino to fall. A sprained UCL in his right elbow will shut down the promising teenager for 4 weeks.
Next came Ranger Suarez. He had to be pulled from pitching with team Venezuela in the WBC because of forearm tightness. He won’t be fully built up by the start of the season.
Then Cristopher Sanchez was shut down with tricep tightness. Another depth piece goes down.
Lastly, Nick Nelson was also shut down with a hamstring injury. While not a starter, Nelson did eat innings as a reliever in 2022.
So. Who’s left?
Michael Plassmeyer
Lefty Michael Plassmeyer made his MLB debut last season after the Phillies acquired him from the San Francisco Giants. He appeared in 2 games, allowing 3 ER in 7.1 IP.
Plassmeyer isn’t a fireballer by a long shot. He averaged 89.2 MPH on the fastballs he threw in 2022 for the Phillies. His arsenal also includes a slider and a changeup.
He won’t be a strikeout artist in the MLB but he did K 82 batters in 82 IP at Lehigh Valley last year. His 2.41 ERA at Triple-A after being traded definitely aided the lefty in getting his MLB promotion.
He’s not the newest or coolest toy in the chest but he’ll probably get playing time for the Phillies in 2023. Michael Plassmeyer won’t miss a ton of bats but the hope is he can induce soft contact. He allowed just 63 hits in his 82 Iron Pigs innings.
If another pitcher goes down, the Phillies could be forced to make a move in a trade or on what’s of the free agent market. Some veteran starting pitchers such as Chris Archer and Dylan Bundy are still available.
That would be the worst-case situation for the Phillies. Instead, Plassmeyer should end up being the first pitcher up from AAA in case of a spot start.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
