Phillies' Michael Plassmeyer: Sent to minors

The Phillies optioned Plassmeyer to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Monday.

Plassmeyer's odds of breaking camp with the big club appeared to improve when Ranger Suarez experienced a setback in his recovery from left forearm tightness that will result in him opening the season on the injured list, but the Phillies will turn to Matt Strahm rather than Plassmeyer to fill the opening in the rotation. A 26-year-old lefty, Plassmeyer made his big-league debut as a reliever in 2022 but otherwise worked primarily as a starter between stops with Lehigh Valley and Triple-A Sacramento in the Giants organization last season, logging a collective 4.21 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 129 strikeouts in 128.1 innings between the two affiliates.