Right-hander Zach Pop was outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but the 29-year-old instead elected free agency after a calf strain kept him from returning to the majors this season.
The Phillies’ season turnaround has been loud enough to erase memory—until the roster moves arrive.
Philadelphia. sitting at 34-29 after being 9-19 in late April. has vaulted itself into a tie for the top National League Wild Card position by early June. The momentum has shown up in the small details as much as the standings: the Phillies are 4-0 on their current homestand. and they’re above .500 both at Citizens Bank Park and on the road. Interim manager Don Mattingly has been steering the club through a rejuvenation that fans in the City of Brotherly Love can feel in every game-day stretch.
But even as the team rides that wave, right-hander Zach Pop’s path has taken a harsher turn.
Pop was outrighted to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs after clearing waivers. The 29-year-old, a native of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, isn’t headed to the minors, though—he’s electing free agency, per the Phillies’ official X account.
On the surface, this is a decision rooted in a simple fork: report to Triple-A, or keep pursuing the majors with his next opportunity. For Pop, the choice is already made.
In Philadelphia this season. Pop posted a 3.68 ERA with six strikeouts. a 1.091 WHIP. and a .200 batting average allowed in 7 1/3 innings pitched. April changed the storyline. He suffered a calf strain in April and never returned to the MLB roster. After that, the organization designated him for assignment last weekend.
Now the Phillies’ offseason planning will have to account for what he no longer occupies on the depth chart.
The decision lands against the backdrop of a season where the pitching staff has helped keep Philadelphia in the playoff picture despite ongoing offensive struggles. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, balancing the team’s current needs against roster flexibility, treated Pop as expendable. Even when a ballclub looks rejuvenated. roster management still moves with a relentless logic—one that doesn’t pause for a good stretch.
Pop, for his part, is betting that time away from the Phillies won’t be the end of his major-league chance. He’s regrouping now with one clear mission: stay ready, and wait for another opportunity to show up in the big leagues.
Philadelphia Phillies Zach Pop free agency Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs Don Mattingly Dave Dombrowski National League Wild Card