PHILADELPHIA – Dave Dombrowski said Monday the Phillies plan to do more pitching before spring training opens later this month. On Tuesday they announced three more candidates for their bullpen and signed right-handers Héctor Rondón, David Paulino and Bryan Mitchell on minor league contracts with invitations to spring training. Rondón,
PHILADELPHIA – Dave Dombrowski said Monday the Phillies plan to do more pitching before spring training opens later this month.
On Tuesday, they announced three more candidates for their bullpen and signed right-handed
Rondón, who turns 33 later this month, is an eight-year veteran with the Cubs, Astros, and D-Backs. He helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series and the Astros win the American League 19 pennant. Rondón is 24-20 with an ERA of 3.49 and an FIP of 3.63 in 444 career appearances, but he struggled with an ERA of 7.65 in 23 appearances in his first and only season in Arizona in 2020.
It will be interesting to see which Rondón shows up at the camp – the one who promoted the Cubs and Astros, or the one who fought in Arizona.
Rondón’s fastball averaged 97.2 miles per hour in 2018. It fell to 96.7 mph in ’19 and 95.7 mph in ’20.
Paulino, 26, has a 5.48 ERA in 16 appearances (seven starts) in parts of three seasons with the Astros and Blue Jays, despite not having played in the major leagues since 2018. Paulino was 3-1 with a 3.32 ERA in nine appearances that winter in the Dominican Republic. He hit 28 and went nine in 19 innings.
Mitchell, 29, is 4-10 with a 5.15 ERA in 64 appearances (20 starts) during a five-year career with the Yankees and Padres. He has not played in the major leagues since 2018.
