Fresh off a sweep of the second-place New York Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies are closing in on capturing the NL East. A division title would almost certainly lead to a first-round bye in the upcoming postseason bracket, as the Phillies are currently the NL's second overall seed, behind the Milwaukee Brewers. As the Phillies prepare to host the Kansas City Royals for a weekend series, the home team made a couple of roster moves. According to team beat writer Matt Gelb via X, formerly Twitter, Philadelphia will promote pitcher Walker Buehler to the active roster on Friday.
“Phillies are putting José Alvarado on the IL to get Walker Buehler on active roster,” reported Gelb on Friday. “They’ll make a 40-man roster move too.”
Alvarado's placement on the IL comes shortly after his appearance versus the Mets on Wednesday. While it's currently unknown what injury Alvarado is dealing with, the Phillies hope he'll be able to come back soon. After missing a large chunk of the season due to suspension, the hope was that the fireballing veteran would serve a key role in the playoff bullpen.
Now, the hope is that he's back soon. In the meantime, Buehler will make his first start for Philadelphia since joining the team following his release from the Boston Red Sox. Can the Phillies continue their hot streak against the visitors from the AL Central?
Phillies look to clinch the NL East within the next few days
Despite an unsuccessful tenure with the Red Sox, it's clear why the Phillies took a chance on Buehler. His performance in last year's World Series was the reason why Boston spent $21 million on the former Los Angeles Dodger this past winter. That performance is one that the Phillies hope Buehler replicates for at least the next few weeks.
While it's certainly possible that Buehler cannot recapture that form, it's a risk that could be worth it for both sides. After all, the goal for the Phillies is to get back to the World Series. While the Brewers are currently the top seed, Philadelphia could certainly overtake them over the next couple of weeks.
Can Buehler help the Phillies accomplish their Fall Classic dreams? If so, it will be the second straight championship that the right-hander has captured.
