ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Phillies opened the Winter Meetings this week with five spots locked up in an eight-man bullpen.
The group included right-handers Jhoan Duran and Orion Kerkering and left-handers Matt Strahm, José Alvarado and Tanner Banks. But the Phillies and Rays made a trade following Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings that gives the Phils another bullpen candidate. They acquired Minor League right-hander Yoniel Curet from the Rays for Minor League right-hander Tommy McCollum.
Curet is now the Phillies’ No. 24 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
The Phils also selected Marlins right-hander Zach McCambley in the Rule 5 Draft. He also will compete for a bullpen job.
Tampa Bay added Curet to the 40-man roster after the 2023 season to protect him from the Rule 5. He dealt with a lat injury last season that cost him time.
He has a big arm, but he also has command issues.
“He has options available,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “He has an arm that we really like, a really outstanding arm. He’s been successful at the Minor League level. A plus-plus fastball.”
Curet was 3-3 with a 3.90 ERA in 16 appearances (14 starts) over three levels this year, striking out 62 and walking 31 in 55 1/3 innings.
“It's a player that we like,” Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said. “It requires patience, right? And the injury last year, it didn't wipe out the entirety of the season, but you lose a lot of ground. Those protection decisions on players [who were] international free agents, they come early in a player's career, and it leads to tough choices and you start running low on options a little sooner than what you like and what would be best for their development. So, tough decisions. Certainly wish Curet nothing but the best, and he'll be OK.”
McCollum signed with the Phillies as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He was 1-3 with a 3.07 ERA in 47 appearances over three levels this year. He struck out 59 and walked 16 in 55 2/3 innings.