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Phillies create rotation vacancy, send Cole Irvin to triple A

Irvin's next start wouldn't come until Tuesday, so the Phillies have time to decide if they'll bring back Nick Pivetta or Vince Velasquez -- or go another direction.

Cole Irvin conferences with J.T. Realmuto (left) and Rhys Hoskins during the Phillies' series against the Rockies.
Cole Irvin conferences with J.T. Realmuto (left) and Rhys Hoskins during the Phillies' series against the Rockies.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

CHICAGO - The Phillies created a vacancy in their starting rotation on Thursday afternoon by sending Cole Irvin to triple A after he was roughed up a night earlier at Wrigley Field.

Irvin’s next rotation turn falls on Tuesday, but the Phillies could skip his turn with Monday’s off day. If so, the Phillies will need a starting pitcher on June 1. Their choices appear to be bringing Nick Pivetta or Vince Velasquez back into the rotation or inserting Enyel De Los Santos or Drew Anderson, both of whom are in the Phillies’ bullpen but were starters in triple A.

Velasquez, on the injured list with a strained forearm, threw a bullpen session before Wednesday’s game and said he wants to rejoin the rotation. Pivetta struggled in his last start in triple A but had a 2.42 ERA in his previous four starts with the IronPigs.

Irvin pitched well in his first-two major-league starts before he allowed seven runs on Thursday. All seven runs came on homers with the knockout blow coming on a grand slam in the fifth inning by Albert Almora.

“I wasn’t exactly myself today. Just wasn’t executing what I needed to,” Irvin said. “I came up with some big pitches in a couple innings, but the offspeed I wasn’t locating. The fastball I wasn’t locating. That’s a recipe for trouble when you’re facing a lineup like that. When you’re a guy that pitches to contact and you can’t locate pitches, it’s not a good sign.”