Inside The Phillies

Former Phillies Pitcher Signs With National League Contender

A former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher could become a factor for another team down the stretch.
Brad Wakai|
May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Spencer Turnbull (22) throws a pitch during the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park
May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Spencer Turnbull (22) throws a pitch during the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be active ahead of the upcoming trade deadline as they attempt to position themselves to truly compete for a World Series championship.

But they won't be the only contending team with that mindset.

On Friday, an early domino fell, with Jon Heyman of The New York Post reporting that Spencer Turnbull has signed a deal with the Chicago Cubs.

It's unclear at the time of writing if the agreement is for a minor league or MLB contract, but the former Phillies pitcher is now with a team they could realistically face in the playoffs.

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Turnbull spent the 2024 campaign in Philadelphia after he signed a one-year, $2 million deal with them the previous offseason, looking to get his career back on track after Tommy John surgery caused him to miss all but nine starts in 2021 and 2022 combined, while a neck issue in 2023 put him on the injured list again.

The right-hander looked great for the Phillies early on, posting a 1.67 ERA in six starts to begin the year and continuing to perform well in a relief role after he was moved into the bullpen. But a lat injury he suffered prevented him from pitching after June 26.

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Because of that, Turnbull had a hard time finding a team this past winter, going unsigned through the beginning of the season until he inked a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Unfortunately, he couldn't sustain what he did before getting hurt with Philadelphia, and after allowing five earned runs in 6 1/3 innings pitched across three appearances, the Blue Jays designated him for assignment and then released him.

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But the 32-year-old is getting another opportunity, and it's with a contender.

The Cubs are searching for pitching help, and the former Phillies righty could become a factor for his new team during the second half.

For more Phillies news, head over to Phillies On SI.

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Brad Wakai
BRAD WAKAI

Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he did work at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad currently is the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continues to cover Penn State athletics. He is also a contributor at FanSided, writing about the Philadelphia 76ers for The Sixers Sense. Brad is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, discussing topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai

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