Phillies and Spencer Turnbull have agreed to a one-year contract, according to reports.
According to numerous reports, the Phillies agreed to a one-year contract with former Tigers starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull on Super Bowl Sunday, making an intriguing low-risk, potentially beneficial move.
Turnbull may make a total of $4 million from the $2 million deal.
The Tigers declined to tender Turnbull, a 31-year-old, earlier in the offseason. In 2014, with Dave Dombrowski heading that front office, Detroit selected the right-hander in the second round.
Prior to suffering a career-ending injury in the first two months of 2021 and the shortened 2020 season, Turnbull was highly productive. During that span, he made 20 starts, going 8–6 with a 3.46 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and just four home runs allowed in 106⅔ innings. A no-hitter in Seattle on May 18, 2021, was the high point.
Before having Tommy John surgery that year, he only made three more starts. He wouldn’t play in the major leagues again until April 2023.
In the previous season, Turnbull only made seven starts for the Tigers. Due to an injury, he contested both of his minor league options when they were given to him. In May, the Tigers placed him on the minors roster, but he was promptly moved to the injured list after complaining of neck pain.
When Detroit attempted to option Turnbull to the minor leagues after nearly three months, he reported having a cracked toenail, which resulted in another stint on the injured list.
Turnbull received a full year of service time for 2023 after the season ended.
Turnbull will therefore be eligible for free agency after 2024 rather than after 2025.
He is a low-risk gamble for the Phillies as starting pitching depth. With the exception of injuries, their lineup consists of Taijuan Walker, Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez, and Cristopher Sanchez. The Phillies have Turnbull, Dylan Covey, Nick Nelson, Max Castillo, and left-hander Kolby Allard behind those five players. Of those five, one could be selected to start on the Opening Day roster as the long man, with the others likely to stay stretched out as Triple A starters in case something comes up.
Turnbull mostly uses his cutter, sinker, and slider, adding curveballs and changeups here and there. 95 mph was the sinker’s average during his best season. In two of his four seasons, lefties have struck him hard, while righties have only hit.237/.325/.359.
These were the kinds of deals Dombrowksi had laid out for the Phillies following his re-signing of Nola earlier in the offseason. The Phillies’ front office has been keeping an eye out for possible value deals on the market since there isn’t a clear hole in one specific position on the roster. There may still be tweaking for depth because there are so many unsigned players.
This week, pitchers and catchers for the Phillies report to Clearwater, Florida, for camp. In one week on February 19, the first full-squad workout will take place.
