Phils sign Rond車n, 2 others to Minors deals
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PHILADELPHIA -- Dave Dombrowski said Monday that the Phillies plan to pursue more pitching before Spring Training opens later this month.
On Tuesday, they announced three more candidates for their bullpen, signing right-handers Héctor Rondón, David Paulino and Bryan Mitchell to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training.
Rond車n, who turns 33 later this month, is an eight-year veteran with the Cubs, Astros and D-backs. He helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series and the Astros win the '19 American League pennant. Rond車n is 24-20 with a 3.49 ERA and a 3.63 FIP in 444 career appearances, but he struggled in his first and only season in Arizona in 2020, with a 7.65 ERA in 23 appearances.
It will be interesting to see which Rond車n shows up in camp -- the one who pitched for the Cubs and Astros, or the one who struggled in Arizona.
Rond車n＊s fastball averaged 97.2 mph in 2018. It fell to 96.7 mph in '19 and 95.7 mph in '20.
Paulino, 26, has a 5.48 ERA in 16 appearances (seven starts) in parts of three seasons with the Astros and Blue Jays, although he has not pitched in the big leagues since 2018. Paulino was 3-1 with a 3.32 ERA in nine appearances this winter in the Dominican Republic. He struck out 28 and walked nine in 19 innings.
Mitchell, 29, is 4-10 with a 5.15 ERA in 64 appearances (20 starts) over a five-year career with the Yankees and Padres. He has not pitched in the big leagues since 2018.