Phillies GM Matt Klentak Offers Insights on Trade for Ty Kelly and Prospects J.P. Crawford, Nick Pivetta

The Phillies have had a short bench and a long bullpen since Tuesday, but that's about to change.
 
The team on Saturday acquired utility man Ty Kelly from the Toronto Blue Jays in a cash deal.
 
Kelly, 28, is a switch-hitting infielder/outfielder who has played in the majors with the New York Mets. He opened this season with the Mets, ended up on waivers, was claimed by the Jays and sent to Triple A. The Jays designated him for assignment when they needed to make room for pitcher Mat Latos on their 40-man roster.
 
According to general manager Matt Klentak, the Phillies considered claiming Kelly on waivers earlier this month, but did not have the room on the 40-man roster. Clay Buchholz' recent season-ended elbow injury -- he is now on the 60-day disabled list -- gave the Phils the flexibility to add Kelly.
 
Kelly will travel on Sunday and join the Phils in time for Tuesday night's game against Miami.
 
The Phils have been playing a position player short since Tuesday when left fielder Howie Kendrick went on the disabled list. Aaron Altherr and Daniel Nava have been filling Kendrick's spot in the lineup. The Phillies plugged Kendrick's 25-man roster spot with an extra relief pitcher -- Mark Leiter Jr. He is expected to return to Triple A when Kelly is activated on Tuesday.
 
"We want to get back to a full bench," manager Pete Mackanin said. "The bench is always a juggling act, but it's harder with just four men."
 
Kendrick suffered an oblique strain last Saturday in Washington. They generally take a minimum of three weeks to heal so he could be out at least two more weeks.
 
Klentak said the club pondered bringing up infielder Jesmuel Valentin from Triple A to lengthen the bench, "But we're constantly trying to balance what is the right thing for the major-league bench with what is the right thing for a player's development. And in Jez's case, he's off to a real good start, and the more we can do to allow him to keep that going, the better. That was a viable possibility absent Ty Kelly becoming available."
 
Health check
Klentak offered a health check on two minor leaguers:
 
Mickey Moniak jammed a finger sliding in a game at Lakewood. There is no fracture and he is expected to miss minimal time.
 
Reliever Victor Arano, who was diagnosed with an elbow strain in spring training, is still rehabbing in Clearwater.
 
"He's throwing, on and off," Klentak said. "He'll have his good days where everything is progressing and then he'll have a setback. Right now we're hopeful. He's doing pretty well."
 
At Triple A
Top prospect J.P. Crawford has had some much-talked-about struggles in the early season. The 22-year-old shortstop entered Saturday with just four hits in 41 at-bats and he'd struck out 13 times while walking just seven.
 
"They're two weeks into the season," Klentak said. "You're always going to have players that are going through ups and always going to have players going through downs.
 
"We have some players that are off to great starts, and others like J.P. that are struggling. But I think we want to give it a little time before we put too much stock in an early-season slump." 
 
On the flip side, 24-year-old Nick Pivetta, acquired from Washington for Jonathan Papelbon in July 2015, has been en fuego. Pivetta has won all three of his starts at Triple A and allowed just two earned runs in 19 innings. He has given up just 12 hits, walked two and struck out 24. Pivetta struck out 11 in his last outing.
 
"He's shown a very crisp breaking ball and his location has been really good," Klentak said. "He's growing up as a pitcher. He's been pretty outstanding so far through three starts. We're pretty pleased with that."

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