Late Offseason Philadelphia Phillies Addition 'Most at Risk' of Losing Roster Spot

The Philadelphia Phillies will have to make a roster move when Ranger Suarez returns, and their late offseason addition could be the odd man out.

Apr 13, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Carlos Hernandez (35) pitched in relief against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies were trying to figure out their bullpen situation before the 2025 season got underway after some camp battles throughout spring training.

It seemed like things were coming down to a choice between Tyler Phillips and Michael Mercado. However, neither player got the nod, with Phillips getting designated for assignment before being traded to the Miami Marlins and Mercado getting optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Those decisions were made after the Phillies claimed reliever Carlos Hernandez off waivers from the Kansas City Royals, opting to give their newest addition a spot on the Opening Day roster instead of their two internal options.

So far, his tenure in Philadelphia hasn't quite yielded the results they were expecting.

With a 6.00 ERA during his five outings where he has struck out five and walked six during six innings pitched, manager Rob Thomson is reportedly looking to only use him if the Phillies are losing.

Operating like that during the first part of the year is difficult for a contending team, and that's why Matt Gelb of The Athletic believes Hernandez's days with Philadelphia could be numbered once Ranger Suarez makes his return.

"Hernández is probably most at risk whenever Ranger Suárez returns to the roster. The Phillies expect Suárez (back soreness) to pitch again Tuesday at Triple A. He could make another minor-league start after that. Suárez would slot into the rotation, bumping Taijuan Walker to the bullpen," the insider shared.

This likely is the best-case scenario on all fronts.

When Suarez does return, he'll give the Phillies the five-man rotation they envisioned coming into the year when they traded for Jesus Luzardo. And with Taijuan Walker in the bullpen, that limits the possible damage that could take place over the course of a long outing when he's on the mound.

How the veteran right-hander might look coming on in relief isn't known, but he has shown an uptick in velocity to start the season that should only increase further when he's not focused on putting together a lengthy outing.

What happens regarding Hernandez if he's the odd man out will be seen.

With his current numbers, teams might not be lining up to claim him if he does become available. But there is also a good chance Philadelphia loses him if that does happen.