Phillies Press Release :
Prior to tonight’s game, the Phillies selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Orion Kerkering from triple-A Lehigh Valley. To make room for Kerkering on the 28-man roster, right-handed pitcher Yunior Marte was optioned to Lehigh Valley. To make room on the 40-man roster, infielder Drew Ellis was designated for assignment.
Kerkering, 22, is 4-1 with 14 saves, a 1.51 ERA (9 ER, 53.2 IP) and a 0.89 WHIP across 49 relief appearances with single-A Clearwater (9), high-A Jersey Shore (18), double-A Reading (21) and triple-A Lehigh Valley (1) this season. The Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month in April, Kerkering did not allow a run in 43 of his 49 outings this year, including his last nine. He was named the recipient of the 2023 Paul Owens Award, which is presented annually to the Phillies’ top minor league pitcher. He will wear No. 50.
The 6-foot-2 resident of Nokomis, Fla., was selected by the Phillies in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB Draft. He will become first player drafted by the Phillies to make his major league debut in the very next season since Aaron Nola in 2015.
Marte, 28, is 1-1 with a 5.03 ERA (22 ER, 39.1 IP) with 38 strikeouts and 17 walks in 40 appearances over six stints with the Phillies this season.
Originally signed by the Kansas City Royals as an amateur free agent on July 19, 2012, Marte was acquired from the San Francisco Giants by the Phillies in exchange for left-handed pitcher Erik Miller on Jan. 8, 2023.
Ellis, 27, hit .228 (66-289) with 17 doubles, 16 home runs and 55 RBI in 80 games with Reading and Lehigh Valley this season. He also played in 12 games for the Phillies, hitting .217 (5-23) with two home runs.
Originally selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Ellis was signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent on April 12, 2023.
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