It’s Official: Phillies Prospect Jake Thompson to Start Saturday

A night after pitcher Phil Klein gave the Phillies five innings in a spot start and was subsequently optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the Phillies made another announcement:  Jake Thompson will make his Major League Debut for the Phillies.   In his pregame radio appearance Wednesday, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said that Thompson would join the Phillies rotation.   After the Phillies lost to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon, manager Mackanin confirmed to reporters that Thompson's first start will be Saturday Night in San Diego.

Thompson has made 21 starts for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in 2016, going 11-5 with a 2.50 earned run average.  Thompson has made 21 total starts and pitched 129 2/3 innings for the Phillies affiliate.   Opponents are hitting .225 off of Thompson, with a 1.10 WHIP in 2016.   After an April in which Thompson went 1-3 with a 6.16 earned run average, Thompson has been stellar since.

The Phillies have room on their 40-man roster for Thompson after designating the contract of Andrew Bailey for assignment.  The Phillies will have to make a place on the 25-man roster before Saturday's game.   The Phillies appear poised to carry an extra arm in the bullpen until then.   The Phillies added Michael Mariot and Elvis Araujo this week to occupy roster spots vacated by Klein and a paternity leave for Jeanmar Gomez.   Araujo will head to Triple-A Lehigh Valley as Gomez returns.