We are back once again with the 97.3 ESPN Phillies Mailbag.  Each week we take your questions and answer them on The Sports Bash with Mike Gill.  Tune in Tuesday afternoons to hear your questions answered on the air.

Why would the Phillies bring up Garrett Stubbs with the September call-ups? How does that help having another catcher?
~Eddie

The Phillies used their two “September call-ups” to add catcher Garrett Stubbs and pitcher Tim Mayza to the active roster on Monday.  They are the only two call-ups.  The rules now allow a roster of 28 for the month of September, as supposed to entire 40-man roster in the past.

The rules also allow just one pitcher to be added.  This was to avoid huge bullpens that slow down the games.  Therefore there was just one bat to be added.

The “new normal” of sorts in light of that is to add a third catcher.   The very physically-demanding position means that there is higher risk of injury.  The Phillies, with a lot of wear to J.T. Realmuto, could use the help.

While it’s true that Rafael Marchan has played less than most backup catchers, the Phillies were not comfortable using Realmuto as a pinch-hitter or as a designated hitter with only Marchan remaining on the roster.  An injury to either would put the team in a tough spot.

Another bonus is that Stubbs will have the opportunity to work with the pitchers for a month heading into the playoffs.  Should there be a catching injury, it is important that he has the experience with the likes of Jesus Luzardo and other new additions, with whom he had a limited experience.

Other 40-man roster players include Johan Rojas and Otto Kemp, both of whom who have major league experience this season.

Not on the 40-man roster is Justin Crawford.  The Phillies probably would have summoned him and used him as a pinch runner, if nothing else, under the old rules.  Not summoning Crawford now – especially with an unclear path to play – could cost the Phillies an option next year if he does not make the team.

Making the roster next season is still a possibility for Crawford, but the Phillies would not have to find a room for him just yet.

Why Walker Buehler?  Will he actually help the Phillies in the playoffs?
~Rich

The Phillies added two pitchers to the mix on Sunday, adding left-handed Tim Mayza and right-handed Walker Buehler.  In doing so, the Phillies added the pitcher on the mound to finish the last two World Series wins (Mayza with the Yankees, Buehler with the Dodgers).  The Phillies hope that they are added depth that will help the team in September, and hopefully beyond.

Buehler was mostly a starter in Boston in 2025.  In a rotation that included three solid starting pitchers in Garrett Crochet, Lucas Giolito, and Branyan Bello.  They added to the mix their second-best prospect in Payton Tolle and the $21 million Buehler was released.

The Phillies are familiar with his dominant past with the Los Angeles Dodgers but are certainly aware of who he was in Boston.  Buehler’s best start of the season arguably came against the Phillies, when he went seven innings and allowed just one earned run.

I think two things happened here.

The first is that Zack Wheeler’s absence got in the way of their plan to go to a six-man rotation for the stretch run.  That was designed to keep the five starters fresh.   Now that Taijuan Walker is in the rotation to stay, the Phillies needed another to step into the sixth spot.  And Buehler was available.

Second is that Andrew Painter has not demonstrated that he is worthy of joining the rotation.  In the month of August, Painter is 1-2 with a 7.77 ERA in five starts.  It appears that Painter will likely come to Spring Training in February to compete for a role in the starting rotation.

So Buehler will get a chance, beginning with a start against the Kansas City Royals on Friday, September 12.

What is the role of Nick Castellanos on this team right now?
~Stephen

The Phillies put forth an outfield of Brandon Marsh, Harrison Bader, and Max Kepler on Monday night.   They scored 10 runs and were able to take out the Milwaukee Brewers.  That same alignment was in the lineup on the night the Phillies scored 19 against the Atlanta Braves, too.  I think this is going to be the lineup we see against tough right-handed pitching going forward.

This is a results-oriented game, and to be frank, Nick Castellanos is not getting results.

At the plate, Castellanos is batting just .095 in his last seven games.  Going back over his last 30, he is batting just .186 with a .556 OPS.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned trio had a very strong 30 days:

Marsh: .316 batting average, .859 OPSBader: .333 batting average, .920 OPSKepler: .273 batting average, .858 OPS

It’s hard to argue with those numbers.

Meanwhile, whether considering defensive metrics Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved, Castellanos is second to last or last.

It’s true that the splits favor Marsh against right-handed pitching, and to a lesser extent, Kepler.  I think that means Castellanos is essentially a platoon partner, playing against left-handed pitching.

I would imagine he will start against some right-handed pitching, too.

I think the Phillies will try to move on from Castellanos for the final year of his five-year, $100 million deal to create room for Justin Crawford, while retaining Marsh and Bader.  If they cannot, he may become a Marsh platoon partner.

But for now: The Phillies are in a pennant race and they need to put the best team on the field they can and that does not include Castellanos.