Philadelphia Phillies' Rotation Getting Surprising Boost From Offseason Addition

The Philadelphia Phillies' rotation is getting a surprising boost from an unexpected source.

Apr 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull (22) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park. / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

When the Philadelphia Phillies signed Spencer Turnbull to a one-year, $2 million deal back on Valentine's Day, the move didn't draw much attention from fans and media. Turnbull was coming off a disappointing run with the Detroit Tigers marred by injuries and poor performance, including a 1-4 record and a 7.26 ERA in 2023.

After making just 16 starts over the previous three years combined, Turnbull was considered little more than a flier who might provide some rotation depth. He certainly wasn't expected to be a major contributor, let alone the team's best starting pitcher over the first few weeks of the season.

Instead, he's pitched like an ace in his first two starts of the year.

Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler must be rubbing off on him.

Spencer Turnbull’s stats with the Phillies:

11.0 IP | 5 H | 0 ER | 1 BB | 13 K | 0.00 ERA | 0.56 WHIP | .132 Batting Average Against pic.twitter.com/z5nA37mAYm

— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) April 9, 2024

In his season debut on April 2, Turnbull yielded just one unearned run over five innings against the Cincinnati Reds, striking out seven. He was even better in his second start on Monday, tossing six innings of two-hit ball while striking out six against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Not bad for a 31-year-old who's just supposed to be an injury replacement for Taijuan Walker.

Turnbull's shown flashes of promise before, so a solid season for him wouldn't be totally outside the realm of possibility. In 2020 and 2021 combined, he went 8-6 with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 20 starts. Tommy John surgery derailed that momentum, however, costing him the entire 2022 campaign, and much of 2023 as well.

Now fully healthy, Turnbull seems to have regained his skills and confidence from a few years ago. If he stays healthy and keeps pitching well, he could end up being an integral part of Philadelphia's rotation after all.