Phillies Promote Alan Rangel to Majors, Set for MLB Debut
The Philadelphia Phillies have announced the promotion of right-handed pitcher Alan Rangel to the major league roster. The 27-year-old is expected to make his MLB debut once he appears in a game. To make room for Rangel, fellow right-hander Seth Johnson has been sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Although Rangel has technically been part of a big league roster before, he has never pitched in a major league game. He was briefly on the Atlanta Braves’ roster in 2022 but spent most of the season in the minors. He was called up in late September that year but returned to the minors just three days later without making an appearance. Atlanta chose not to tender him a contract following that season, and he remained in the minor leagues thereafter.
The Phillies signed Rangel to a minor league deal in the summer of 2023. Clearly impressed with his performance, the organization added him to the 40-man roster in November to keep him from reaching minor league free agency.
This season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Rangel has posted a 5.02 ERA across 57 1/3 innings in 12 starts. While the ERA may not stand out, his underlying numbers have been solid, including a 25.4% strikeout rate and an 8.7% walk rate. His high ERA appears to be inflated by bad luck, evidenced by a .325 batting average on balls in play and a 16.2% home run-to-flyball ratio.
The Phillies are in need of pitching depth as they manage a bullpen game tonight. Aaron Nola is currently on the injured list, and Zack Wheeler is away on paternity leave. Joe Ross will officially start the game but is expected to pitch only a couple of innings, given his recent role as a reliever. Taijuan Walker, who was stretched out earlier this season, has thrown just one inning over the past week. Rangel provides a fresh multi-inning option for the pitching staff during this short-handed stretch.
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