Phillies make roster moves ahead of final regular-season series originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Phillies made four roster moves prior to Saturday’s doubleheader at Citi Field against the Mets, swapping out two pitchers and position players.
Dylan Covey was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to September 28) with low back pain.
Right-handed reliever Luis Ortiz was recalled from Triple A.
Infielder Rodolfo Castro was optioned to the Phillies’ spring training complex in Clearwater, where he will stay ready in case he’s needed because of injury.
Corner outfielder/infielder Weston Wilson was called up from Triple A to take Castro’s place.
The Phils had just three games left in the regular season when they made their moves Saturday afternoon. Taijuan Walker was set to start Game 1. Cristopher Sanchez was expected to pitch one or two innings behind him as the Phillies prepare the lefty for a bullpen role in October.
It had been assumed Covey would take down multiple innings in one of the games this weekend but instead, he’s shelved. Manager Rob Thomson will have to figure out how to piece through the 21 or so innings not pitched by Walker or Sanchez this weekend while keeping all of his key arms fresh for the wild-card round.
Entering Saturday, the Diamondbacks led the Marlins by a half-game for the 5-seed, which will face the Phillies in the opening Best-of-3 at Citizens Bank Park. The D-backs have two left at home this weekend against the Astros, who are equally desperate, just a game up on the Mariners for the final wild-card spot in the American League.
The Marlins have the tiebreaker over Arizona so they’d be the 5-seed if both teams finish with the same record. The Marlins finish up with two in Pittsburgh, then would be in Citi Field Monday to finish a suspended game they led by a run in the ninth inning.