The Phillies didn’t just lose—they got thrashed, 17-7, by the Brewers in game two after already dropping the series opener. So, with the rotation under fire and momentum slipping, a roster shake-up was inevitable. Phillies manager Rob Thomson has turned to a name that had already made waves in his debut just weeks ago.

Enter Mick Abel, the 23-year-old right-hander rookie who, in his debut, even outdueled Paul Skenes.

Abel had a stellar debut on May 18 against the Pirates with dream numbers: Six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. Even though he was sent back down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after the game, it was obvious that he wouldn’t have to stay there for long. After that kind of debut, it was only a matter of time before he got the call again.

Now, with the roster shake-up in motion, Taijuan Walker is headed back to the bullpen, and Mick Abel is getting the nod to start against the Blue Jays this week. While talking to reporters on Sunday, Thomson shared, “Our rotation in Toronto is going to be (Zack) Wheeler, (Cristopher) Sánchez, and Mick Abel. And (Taijuan) will go to the pen whenever he’s available to pitch.”

As the Phillies are set to start against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Abel will get the chance to start the series finale on Thursday. But this time, his return might not be a one-game cameo. With the roster hit by injuries, Abel has a real shot to stick around.

When asked about Abel’s chances of return, Thomson explained the plans to Bailey Digh of Phillies Nation. “It all depends on (Aaron) Nola. And how well Mick does. But we’re going to assume (Abel) is going to do well.” Well, that assumption doesn’t have a lot of room for error.

Abel’s caliber is pretty evident, even after being sent to the minors. In his two starts with Lehigh Valley, he pitched six innings in the first and 4 2/3 in the second, allowing just one earned run and one unearned run, respectively. He kept delivering, and the manager, eyeing every possible option, certainly didn’t miss that.

“Very impressed,” said Thomson about his performance. “A lot of the time, you don’t see that. You see kind of an adrenaline dump when (young pitchers) go back down. And things kind of go hairy on them. But he was really good, and really consistent.” So, as long as he keeps impressing the team with his stellar performance, he will get chances to start.

And as Nola is still taking time to return from IL, he is clear on that front too, at least for now. Even though the Phillies are hoping these adjustments will benefit them, the Bryce Harper situation remains a challenge. But in a surprising turn, now, Thomson may have found the perfect solution for that, too.

Bryce Harper’s injury forces a new try

The Phillies’ superstar, Bryce Harper, hasn’t played since last Tuesday after he took a hit on his right elbow from a 95-mile-per-hour fastball by Braves‘ ace Spencer Strider. Unfortunately, he had to exit the game immediately and is currently preparing to return. Third baseman Alec Bohm has been covering first base in Harper’s absence. As the situation is still uncertain, Thomson is making a calculated move by giving infield reps to Kyle Schwarber.

Schwarber was found taking ground balls on Friday before the game. This surely is an unexpected move, considering Schwarber hasn’t played at first base since 2021. And the manager explained why he was given infield reps for the first time in ages. “I think he’s ramped it up a little bit, just because of the Harper situation. We don’t really know where we’re at with that,” he told the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Scott Lauber.

There are a lot of risks that come with this move. He is a powerful presence at the plate for sure, but is that enough? He has only played as the team’s designated hitter, and this home run machine is a full-time outfielder. And guess what!!! In his 11 seasons, he’s only played first base 11 times. So clearly, this is a pretty big adjustment.

But with Harper in the IL, the Phillies need to make use of every available option. And maybe Schwarber is the perfect candidate to experiment with. He has smashed 19 home runs with a slugging percentage of .578 this season. But one thing can’t be ignored. This move has every chance of backfiring, too.

If the reports of Harper’s improved health are true, he might play against the Blue Jays in the series opener. Then, Schwarbner can continue without any adjustments.

Phillies are currently second in the NL East at 36-23, just behind the Mets (37-22). They simply can’t stumble at this point. If they want to hold their fort, the roster shake-ups must prove successful.