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Pitching prospect Adonis Medina ‘lined up’ for start Sunday

With two starting pitchers missing time due to injury, it appears the Philadelphia Phillies will turn to a young prospect to take the mound in their next game.

Adonis Medina could be making his major-league debut on Sunday. (Cheryl Pursell)

Manager Joe Girardi indicated that right-hander Adonis Medina will likely make the start in the last of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park against the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday afternoon. This would be Medina’s first appearance in the major leagues.

“The guy that’s lined up to do it is Adonis Medina,” Girardi said via Zoom after a 3-1 victory over Toronto on Saturday night. “I can’t tell you 100% that’s what’s going to happen, but he’s the guy lined up.”

The Phillies have until Sunday at noon to finalize their 40-man roster that would be eligible for the postseason. While Medina is currently on the 40-man roster, his move to the active roster and spot in the lineup would likely be made official after that deadline.

Injuries to starters Spencer Howard and Jake Arrieta have forced the need for starting pitching help down the stretch for the Phillies. And it looks like Medina, even with his lack of major-league experience, will be the next man up as the Phillies try to clinch their first playoff berth since 2011.

Medina, 23, was ranked the third-best pitching prospect in the organization by Phillies Nation in February. He was signed by the Phillies in 2014 and shined in the Dominican Summer League, posting an ERA of 1.37 in 11 appearances as a 17-year-old.

He had a combined 2.98 ERA over the next three seasons across three different leagues, and had an ERA of 4.12 in High-A Clearwater in 2018. Medina did struggle a bit in Double-A Reading last season, posting an ERA of 4.94 in 105 2/3 innings. Still, Medina is a talented young pitcher who’s shown flashes of a very good repertoire, including a slider that can be very effective when it’s working well.

Girardi said that Medina has been stretched out to about 75-78 pitches while working at the alternate site.

“He’s been throwing the ball well. He’s been throwing his offspeed well, too,” Girardi said, while still reiterating that Medina is not officially the starter at this point. “It’s a young man coming up to make his first start and I think anything is possible.”