2024 Chachi #18 Spencer Turnbull

#22 / Spencer Ketcham Turnbull / Starting Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  210
Opening Day Age:  31

Born:  September 18, 1992, Demopolis, AL
Acquired:  Signed as a free agent with the Phillies, February 14, 2024

Major League Teams:  Detroit Tigers 2018-21, 2023; Philadelphia Phillies 2024

2024 Topps Update #US239

A move out of the starting pitching rotation and a season-ending right lat strain derailed Spencer Turnbull's only season with the Phillies.  With Taijuan Walker on the shelf to start the season, Turnbull was named the club's fifth starter coming out of spring training.  In six starts, he was 2-0 with a 1.67 ERA, holding opposing batters to a .148 average.  Upon Walker's return, Turnbull was the odd man out, moving to the bullpen for long relief and mop-up duties.  He pitched well enough, but his injury resulted in Turnbull pitching in his last game on June 26th.  There were rumors he may be available for the postseason, but the Phillies bowed out early, falling to the Mets in the NLDS.  In 17 games overall with the Phillies, he was 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings pitched.  Turnbull is currently a free agent.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  2014 Bowman Draft #DP70
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  2019-24
Favorite/Only 2024 Card:  2024 Topps Update #US239
Total Cards in My Phillies Collection:  1 as of 12/21/24, 1 added in 2024

Complete Chachi Checklist

2024 Chachi #18

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

2024 Chachi #17 Cristopher Sanchez / 2024 Chachi #19 Jose Alvarado

2024-25 Offseason Begins - Early November Notes (Part 1)

2024 Topps Heritage #79

2024 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #7

2024 Topps Update #US232

2024 Topps Update #US239

The offseason officially began on Halloween eve, after the Dodgers stunned the Yankees in a 7-6 comeback victory, taking the World Series, four games to one.  As has been the case in recent years, I expect this blog will go mostly dormant over the winter months, as I continue to focus on my set-building efforts with my 1969 Topps blog, and as I near the end of my blog recounting how my Dad and I collected the 1956 Topps set over a 20-year period.

I'll check back in here every now and then with roster and transaction-related news, and I'd like to maybe work on updating my very out-of-date want lists over the winter months.  To kick off the three and half months of semi-hibernation, here's a look at the team's early offseason moves.

Minor League Free Agents:  Somewhat under the radar, three Phillies relievers became free agents on October 10th.  Dylan Covey (rhp), Nick Nelson (rhp) and Andrew Bellatti (rhp) all left the organization, with Covey quickly signing with the Mets.  Covey appeared in 28 games for the Phillies in 2023 and was 1-3 with a 3.69 ERA in 39 innings pitched.  He has nary a Phillies baseball card appearance.

Nelson and Bellatti were both key cogs in the team's 2022 bullpen, and then seemingly fell out of the Phillies' pitching plans the past two seasons.  Nelson was 4-2 with a 4.65 ERA in 52 games with the Phillies, and he pitched a scoreless, mop-up inning in Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, won by the Astros, 7-0.  Bellatti appeared in 86 games, going 5-4 with a 3.87 ERA in 2022 and 2023.  He didn't allow a run in five postseason appearances and 4 1/3 innings pitched in 2022.  Both had cards in the team-issued photo card sets from 2022 and 2023.  Bellatti showed up in the 2023 and 2024 Topps Heritage sets, with both cards using the same photo.

On October 15th, Aramis Garcia (c) joined the ranks of minor league free agents.  Garcia appeared in three September games with the Phillies and was 0 for 7.  He appears in both editions of the 2024 Lehigh Valley IronPigs team sets.

Major League Free Agents:  Carlos Estevez (rhp), Jeff Hoffman (rhp) and Spencer Turnbull (rhp) all became free agents on Halloween.  I'd like to see Hoffman, and maybe even Turnbull, come back to the team.  Hoffman was an All-Star this year, and both he and Estevez struggled mightily in the NLDS.  Turnbull last pitched on June 26th, before injuries derailed his season.

Kingery Era Ends:  On November 1st, Scott Kingery (inf) was traded to the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations.  He last suited up for the Phillies for one game in 2022, and over his decade in the organization, he batted .229 with 30 home runs and 96 RBIs at the big league level before settling into a regular role with the IronPigs.  Kingery was the club's everyday shortstop in 2018, and the club had signed him to a $24 million contract covering the 2018 to 2023 seasons.  I have 93 (!) Kingery cards in my Phillies collection.

40-Man Roster / Transaction Flurry:  I'll break this into two posts, with a look at the flurry of moves made on Monday next.

Game 59 - Suarez Exits Early, Phils Keep Winning

2021 Topps Heritage #64

Phillies 6, Cardinals 1
Game 59 - Saturday Night, June 1st in Philadelphia
Record - 41-18, 1st Place, 7 1/2 games ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Ranger Suarez departed early with an injury, but the bullpen held the Cards at bay and the offense continued to hit at home as the Phillies won, 6-1.

What It Means:  Suarez took a comebacker off his left hand in the second inning off the bat of Alec Burleson, wincing in pain as he walked off the mound.  Postgame reports were that it's just a bruise, and X-rays were negative, but Suarez's next start may get pushed back.

What Happened:  The Phillies plated three in the first inning on RBI doubles from Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos.  Brandon Marsh added an RBI single in the third and Bryce Harper capped the scoring with a two-run home run in the seventh, his 14th of the season.

After Suarez exited, Spencer Turbull with three innings, and Orion Kerkering, Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto, with an inning a piece, kept the Cardinals from adding any runs.

Featured Card:  Turnbull was nearly perfect in his three innings of work, with the only Cardinals baserunner reaching on an error.  He struck out six and improved his record to 3-0.  Collectors are still waiting for Turnbull's first Phillies card.

Transaction:  The Phillies claimed Freddy Tarnok (rhp) off waivers from the Oakland Athletics and transferred Dylan Covey (rhp) to the 60-day Injured List.  Tarnok appeared in one game with the Braves in 2022, and five games with the Athletics last season.  His first mainstream baseball card can be found in 2023 Topps Series Two.

2024 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2024 Season Summary Index / 2024 Chachi Set Checklist

Spring Training Game 29 - Phils Nearing End of Exhibition Schedule

2022 Topps #228

Phillies 6, Yankees 6
Spring Training Game 29 - Saturday Afternoon, March 23rd in Tampa
Record - 8-14-7

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies played to yet another tie, and there are only two more spring training exhibition games remaining.

What It Means:  Over their last 11 games, the Phillies are 0-7-4.

What Happened:  Spencer Turnbull got the start and looked great, pitching three scoreless innings while striking out five.  Connor Brogdon and Andrew Bellatti allowed a combined five runs over 1 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, and Ricardo Pinto was the recipient of the seemingly daily blown save.  Pinto allowed the tying run to the Yankees in the ninth.

On the offensive side, Whit Merrifield and Cristian Pache had multi-hit days for the Phillies, with Pache going 3 for 4 in his bid to win the final outfield bench spot.  Bryce Harper returned to the line-up for the first time in over a week, driving in a first inning run with a sacrifice fly.

Featured Card:  After the game, the Phillies announced Taijuan Walker was experiencing shoulder stiffness, causing the team to send him for an MRI.  It would appear as if Turnbull takes his spot in the rotation if Walker isn't ready to start the season.

Camp Head Count:  35

Phils Sign Merrifield / Games Start Tomorrow!

2023 Topps Update #US291

2023 Topps Heritage #524

2023 Topps Big League #136

2023 Topps Heritage #668

2017 Chachi Photo Night #14

The Phillies spent most of the offseason with little to no roster movement, but once camp started in Clearwater there was a sudden flurry of moves.  By my unofficial tally, 65 days passed between the Phillies re-signing Aaron Nola on November 19th and the signing of Kolby Allard on January 23rd.  As we look forward to the first Grapefruit League action tomorrow afternoon, here's a look at the latest comings and goings over the past week.

• On February 14th, the signing of Spencer Turnbull (rhp) was announced, and McKinley Moore (rhp) was designated for assignment.  Turnbull is 12-29 over parts of five seasons with the Tigers.  In 2023, he was 1-4 with a 7.26 ERA in seven starts and I'm assuming he'll provide some starting pitching depth at Triple-A.

• On February 16th, Moore and Diego Castillo (inf) were both claimed off waivers.  Moore went to the Yankees with Castillo going to the Orioles.  It's surprising to me Moore would be let go, given he had been identified as one of the organization's top pitching prospects.

• There were a flurry of moves on Monday, with the biggest being the signing of Whit Merrifield (inf) to a one-year deal to provide a solid infield or outfield bench option.  Merrifield has long been a Phillies Room favorite, as he's one of our son Doug's favorite non-Phillies players.  Like Merrifield, Doug prides himself in being able to play all over the diamond, wherever the team needs him to play.  And I'm excited to add some Merrifield baseball cards to my 2024 Phillies binder

• To make room for Merrifield, Kaleb Ort was designated for assignment and later traded to the Orioles for cash considerations.  Ort had been on the 40-man roster for six days.

• Finally, three more non-roster invitees were added, bringing the total spring head count to 61.  Austin Brice (rhp) last pitched in the majors in 2022 with the Pirates, and he's a veteran of seven big league seasons having spent time with the Marlins, Reds, Marlins again, Red Sox and Pirates.  David Dahl (of) was an All-Star with the Rockies in 2019, and he's spent most of the past two seasons bouncing around the minor league systems of the Brewers, Nationals, Dodgers and Padres.  And Ricardo Pinto (rhp) returns to the Phillies, having last pitched in 25 games for the team in 2017.  He's been all over the place since then, having last pitched in the Mexican League in 2023.

Player (position) - 2023 Organization - Last Major Baseball Card

19.  Austin Brice (rhp) - Diamondbacks/Twins - 2023 Topps Pro Debut #PD-86

20.  David Dahl (of) - Padres/Dodgers - 2019 Topps Total (White Sox)

21.  Ricardo Pinto (rhp) - Mexico - 2023 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #CPA-GM