Zack Wheeler and Don Mattingly ‘all square’ after Phillies pitcher disagreed with being taken out
Mattingly, who took Wheeler out in the fifth inning, said he told his ace he had the long-term interests of Wheeler and the overall rotation in mind.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When Zack Wheeler pitches again for the Phillies, the air between him and manager Don Mattingly will be clear.
“All square,” Mattingly said Saturday.
To recap: Wheeler disagreed with being taken out before completing the fifth inning Wednesday night in Citizens Bank Park, even though he gave up back-to-back-to-back two-out hits and matched his season-high with 104 pitches.
Mattingly said he spoke with Wheeler and offered the same explanation that he gave reporters, notably that he had the long-term interests of Wheeler and the overall rotation in mind.
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Did Wheeler accept that justification?
“I don’t know,” Mattingly said. “I’m not sure. I mean, I’ve been through it. It’s not my first time I’m going through it with a guy that’s really good. They never want to come out. It’s the way it goes with those guys, right?”
Besides, Wheeler may have a new gripe. He wasn’t selected to the National League All-Star team Saturday night despite posting a 2.36 ERA in 13 starts, a remarkable recovery after having a rib removed last September to treat a compressed vein near his collarbone.
Mattingly called a team meeting at about 6 p.m. here Saturday to break the news that Brandon Marsh, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Cristopher Sánchez, and Jhoan Duran were named All-Stars.
Wheeler is lined up to start the last game before the break, which makes him ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game. Mattingly wasn’t sure if that was the reason that Wheeler was omitted.
Keller gets closer
Brad Keller gave up a two-run homer Friday night in a triple-A game in Rochester, N.Y., the reliever’s first game action since going on the injured list June 16 with right forearm tendinitis.
Despite the results, Mattingly said pitching coach Caleb Cotham was pleased when he watched video of Keller’s inning.
“He’s looking more at the process, what his delivery looks like, how it was coming out, how the ball’s spinning, all that kind of stuff,” Mattingly said. “And he was happy with it.”
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Keller will pitch again Sunday in Rochester, according to Mattingly, after which the Phillies could decide to bring him back from the injured list.
The Phillies are relying on Keller as part of their late-inning bridge to closer Jhoan Duran. Keller overcame a rocky start and allowed three earned runs over 12⅔ innings in a span of 13 appearances before giving up three runs in the eighth inning June 13 in Milwaukee, his last appearance before being sidelined.
Overall, the 30-year-old righty has a 4.15 ERA in 31 appearances.
Rangel out, Banks in
With the fifth-starter spot coming up once more before the All-Star break — and not again until July 21 — the Phillies optioned righty Alan Rangel to triple A and recalled lefty Tanner Banks to get an extra arm in the bullpen.
Rangel replaced demoted Andrew Painter for three turns in the rotation. He appeared twice behind an opener and started once, posting a 3.46 ERA in 13 innings.
In his most recent start, Rangel sidestepped four walks in four scoreless innings in oppressive heat at home Thursday against the Pirates. As a “bulk” pitcher, he gave up one run in five innings June 22 in Washington and four runs in four innings June 27 in New York.
» READ MORE: The Phillies won’t rush Andrew Painter’s return to majors. Instead, it’s about ‘getting himself’ right.
“It’s nothing that he’s done,” Mattingly said. “I mean, he threw the ball well, so we’re happy with the way he’s going. But it did give us a chance to get an extra [reliever].”
Mattingly said the Phillies will likely run a “true bullpen game” when the fifth-starter spot comes around Wednesday in Cincinnati, although it will be subject to how much the relievers are taxed over the next four games.
Banks began the season in the majors but was sent to triple A with a 5.86 ERA on June 18. In four games for Lehigh Valley, he allowed six runs (three earned) in 4⅓ innings for a 6.23 ERA.
Extra bases
The Phillies traded low-A right-hander Ryan Degges to Cleveland for international bonus pool space, money that was allocated to signing 17-year-old Taiwanese right-hander Ho Hua for $500,000, according to a league source. In May, the Phillies made a similar move for bonus pool money to sign Chan-min Park, a 17-year-old right-hander from South Korea, for $1.205 million. ... The Phillies signed veteran catcher Payton Henry to a minor-league contract and sent him to triple A. ... Aaron Nola (3-5, 6.04 ERA) is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Sunday against Royals righty Luinder Avila (3-3, 5.40).
