The first Phillies trade of 2023 was a minor one.
The club acquired right-handed pitcher Erich Uelmen from the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations. Vinny Nittoli, who appeared in two games for the Phillies last September, was designated for assignment to make room for Uelman on the 40-man roster.
Uelmen, 26, pitched to a 4.67 ERA in 25 games in the big leagues in 2022. The Las Vegas native was drafted in the fourth round by Chicago in 2017 and made his MLB debut against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 22. He allowed one earned run but closed out a 15-2 victory for the Cubs.
He’ll likely compete for a spot in the bullpen during spring training.
The one-year, $10 million reported agreement with Craig Kimbrel is still not official. Once that move is finalized, the Phillies will have to subtract another player from the 40-man roster in order to make room for the veteran reliever.