Eickhoff makes rehab start; will the Phillies add someone today?

UPDATE (3:41 p.m.): That someone is Mark Leiter Jr. He is now on the team. The one person I forgot.

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Jerad Eickhoff made a rehab start Tuesday in Reading. He went 3.1 innings against Portland, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk. He also struck out three.

Meanwhile the Phillies placed the recently optioned Jake Thompson on the triple-A Lehigh Valley roster, then placed left-handed pitcher Cole Irvin in Williamsport.

You may be thinking, “Huh? Williamsport? I thought Irvin was pitching well and people were writing about him.”

Well, yes. Irvin has been decent this year (3.21 ERA, 37 K, 11 BB), and he’s the closest lefty to the big leagues that isn’t injured Adam Morgan and struggling Hoby Milner. But the Phillies originally placed Irvin on the inactive list for personal reasons, before instead putting him on the Williamsport roster. So maybe that was just a paper move to facilitate whatever is actually keeping Irvin out.

It’s possible this is just stalling for time. They could want to bring Irvin up to Philly, because they want a lefty (which is why Thompson was sent down), but he’s not on the 40-man roster, which is full. So, with Thompson in Lehigh Valley someone had to move (to keep that active roster at 25). Thus, Irvin goes to Williamsport in a paper move while the Phils decide who to take off the 40-man to make room for Irvin.

But … I don’t know. How about more guesses?

Victor Arano could be back. He pitched a rehab inning on Monday in Reading (one run allowed on two hits). J.P. Crawford isn’t quiet ready yet to come back, and Adam Morgan has a few more days left on the disabled list. So Arano is the likeliest scenario, but shuffling cards to ensure Irvin finds his way in Baltimore (with someone coming off the 40-man [Zac Curtis?]) is also possible.

Anyway, as of right now the Phils have 24 rostered players heading into a two-game set in Baltimore. Will the Phillies add a 25th player today?! We shall see.

I love roster talk.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.