Phillies DFA Connor Brogdon, Replace Him with Ricardo Pinto

Connor Brogdon made the Phillies opening day roster because of injuries to Taijuan Walker and Orion Kerkering during Spring Training.

In many ways, it was a stay of execution. He was out of options, so it was either make the team or be DFA’d.

He didn’t have a great spring, but the Phillies were giving him one last chance to find himself and get back to being the pitcher he was in the 2022 World Series, when he was one of the Phillies best relievers.

Instead, he imploded.

Brogdon yielded six runs in just two innings, capped off by a grand slam that broke a tie game in the 10th inning of Monday’s 6-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

After the game, Brogdon admitted to reporters that he’s “just kind of scrambled out there right now.”

And like Humpty Dumpty, all the Phillies horses and all of their men couldn’t put Brogdon back together again.

Maybe someone else will claim him, and he will find that groove again. If not, he will be reassigned to Lehigh Valley, but really, he’s a guy that could use a change of scenery and a fresh start.

It’s a shame, because at one point, Brogdon looked like he was going the be a key contributor out of the Phillies bullpen for the long-term. He debuted during the COVID-shortened 2020 season and pitched in 11 innings and had a very appealing 0.882 WHIP.

In 2021 and 2022 he combined to throw 101 2/3 innings and had a solid 3.36 ERA and 1.180 WHIP. In the 2022 postseason, he was electric, with a 2.08 ERA and a 0.923 WHIP, with his most impressive work coming in the World Series against Houston, throwing four scoreless innings and striking out seven of the 14 batters he faced.

This version of Connor Brogdon is still in there somewhere. Hope he clears and gets another chance to prove himself in AAA.

The kid had a 2.08 ERA in the ‘22 playoff run.

pic.twitter.com/NHn8UqO8FI

— Luke Arcaini (@ArcainiLuke) April 2, 2024

But things started going sideways in 2023, and Brogdon was never able to recover.

In his place comes a name that hardcore Phillies fans will remember. Ricardo Pinto had his contract selected and added to the 40-man roster.

Pinto, 30, was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Phillies in 2011. He was chosen as the Paul Owens Award winner as the top pitcher in the Phillies Farm System in 2015. He made 25 appearances for the Phillies in 2017. They were mostly forgettable.

He compiled a 7.89 ERA in 29 2/3 innings with an unsightly WHIP of 1.888. He also allowed seven homers in that brief stint.

He later made two awful appearances for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019 and has been toiling in the minors and playing in Korea, China, Mexico and in the Venezuelan Winter League since.

He signed a minor league contract with the Phillies in February and appeared in four games with the club in major league spring training as a non-roster invitee, striking out three hitters in 5.2 innings.

He was named Most Valuable Player of the 2024 Caribbean Series after going 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA (ER, 10.2 IP), three walks and 14 strikeouts in two starts for Venezuela in the tournament.

PHILLIES SIGN RHP RICARDO PINTO
MVP #CaribbeanSeries & #VenezuelaFinals to a minor league contract w/invitation to Spring Training
Good fastball, nasty splitter.
Caribbean Series
2-0; 0.83 ERA; 10.2 IP; 1 R, 14 K, 3 BB
Venezuela Finals
2-0; 0.00 ERA; 14.0 IP, 0 R, 11 K, 6 BB pic.twitter.com/tT6UJUDZHB

— Oscar Budejen (@OscarBudejen) February 16, 2024

The Phillies might need him Tuesday night as they have limited availability in the bullpen after having to use guys so frequently in the first four games.

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