Mick Abel optioned to Lehigh Valley after rough stretch, Phillies call up Seth Johnson

Well, that was fun while it lasted. Mick Abel is headed back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after two straight duds at the big-league level.

The Phillies made it official Tuesday, optioning the 23-year-old righty and recalling Seth Johnson in his place. It’s not a shocking move, but it’s still a bit of a gut punch for fans hoping Abel was ready to stick in the rotation for good.

Mick Abel optioned to Lehigh Valley

Prior to today’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, the Phillies recalled RHP Seth Johnson from Lehigh Valley (AAA). To make room on the 26-man roster, RHP Mick Abel was optioned to Lehigh Valley.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 4, 2025

Mick Abel looked like a future ace in his MLB debut, striking out nine Pirates across six scoreless innings and matching Paul Skenes pitch for pitch.

He followed that up with another strong outing against Toronto, giving up just one run in 5.1 innings.

Then came the regression.

Abel got touched up by the Cubs. Then he gave up four solo home runs to the Mets in just three innings. His command totally vanished against the Padres — walking in two runs before giving up a bases-clearing double that ended his night after just 1.2 innings.

After allowing just five runs in his first four starts, he gave up nine in the last two. The Phillies are clearly protecting their young arm and want him to reset in Allentown. But it’s fair to wonder if the recent blowups hurt his trade value with the deadline approaching.

In his place, Seth Johnson returns after showing some promise as a reliever in a brief appearance last week. The Phillies converted him from a starter to a bullpen arm this season, and so far, the early returns have been solid. He tossed two clean innings as the 27th man in a doubleheader last week and now gets another crack with the big club.

This doesn’t feel like the last we’ve seen of Mick Abel in 2025 but for now, it’s back to the drawing board.