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Rutledge

Rutledge loses his spot on the Phillies’ 40-man roster to make room for the acquisition of Derek Hill on Thursday. The 27-year-old hurler has registered a 4.42 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and a 12/11 K/BB ratio over 18 1/3 innings in 18 appearances at the Triple-A level this season. He may slide through waivers unclaimed and continue to function as extra pitching depth for the Phillies.

The 27-year-old hurler had been designated for assignment by the Nationals on Tuesday. The former first-round pick has really struggled in his limited big league action, posting a 6.29 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and an 88/34 K/BB ratio over 103 innings in 71 appearances spanning four seasons. We’ll see if the Phillies are finally able to unlock his true potential.

It’s fair to say that Rutledge didn’t live up to the lofty expectations that come with being a first-round draft pick as he posted a bloated 6.29 ERA across 103 innings in the majors from 2023-2026. The 27-year-old former pitching prospect could attract some interest on waivers as a reclamation project, but that seems unlikely.

Rutledge was lit up for seven runs over 1 1/3 innings during Monday’s blowout loss to the Pirates, earning a ticket right back to the minors after his season debut. The 27-year-old righty will be back once Washington needs a fresh bullpen arm, but he’s going to spend some time back at the Triple-A level for now.

Rutledge is off to a rough start in Triple-A, allowing three runs on four hits in five innings with a 1/5 K/BB ratio. His stay up in the big leagues may not be an overly long one.

Rutledge, 26, is one of two former first-round picks who was optioned Friday, with the other being Dylan Crews. Rutledge will likely be an up-and-down arm for the Nats in 2026.

In 40 1/3 innings, Rutledge has surrendered 12 homers, most in the majors among relievers. His 19 percent strikeout rate is also awfully discouraging, and his ERA stands at 6.92. It’d seem to be time for the Nationals to give someone else a shot.

Moved to the pen after last year’s 6.40 ERA in 27 starts for Rochester, Rutledge had made two relief appearances in Triple-A this season, throwing three scoreless innings with four strikeouts. He’ll pitch in middle relief for now, but he could get sent down Sunday if the Nats call up someone to start in Michael Soroka’s place.

Rutledge will open the regular season back in the upper minors as extra starting pitching depth. The 25-year-old former first-round pick has made a handful of appearances for the Nationals over the last two years, but hasn’t turned into the impact arm scouts envisioned when he was picked in the 2019 MLB Draft.

Rutledge was pretty wild in a first inning in which he hit Austin Riley in the hand, but he did fine the rest of the way and lowered his spring ERA to 4.09 in 11 innings. Rutledge is probably bound for Triple-A again after struggling there last year. It’d seem to be time for the Nationals to try him as a reliever, but they’ve thus far resisted going that route with the 2019 first-round pick.