Tim Worell was traded to the Diamonbacks today for Matt Kata. This appears to be a matter of setting Worrell free from Philadelphia. According to Ed Wade, "He expressed an interest in pitching closer to home and we tried to see if there was a deal out there that could accommodate both him and the club." Looks like the former was satisfied, though it's not apparent how this accommodates the club. The Phillies are paying the rest of Worrell's salary and receive Matt Kata, an infield spare part that doesn't figure into the plans either this year or in the future, with the Phillies infield and bench pretty much set. Unless Kata is part of a another trade package, this seems to be a case of setting Worrell free.
This is an unfortunate turn of events, as Worrell was pitching fairly well since his return. 5 2/3 innings pitched allowing 2 earned runs, now Worrell has an outside shot at closing for the Diamondbacks. Phillies fans were surely envisioning him returning to form and becoming an important part of the bullpen in a playoff race.
Does this signal the start of selling season for the Phillies? Let's hope not as the team is only 5 games out of the division and the wildcard race. Next up we will preview the wildcard contenders to see how the Phillies stack up.
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