Phillies sign reliever Nabil Krismat and Gilo Zuniga Signed a minor league deal earlier this month. Both trades are reflected in the team’s trade log on MLB.com and on the players’ respective social media accounts.
Both pitchers will see limited action in the majors in 2024. He spent the remainder of the season in 3A and was split between three organizations. Chris Matt pitched in the minors between Los Angeles, San Diego and Texas. He struggled in the Pacific Coast League, allowing 5.81 earned runs per nine innings in 79 innings. Chris Matt’s strikeout rate was just below average at 20.7%, while his walk rate was 7.5%.
The Colombian-born pitcher struggled in six Triple-A seasons. His major league record was much better. Chris Matt has a 3.71 ERA in five games in Major League Baseball (MLB). Much of that production comes from two strong years in San Diego in 2021-22. He has logged 20 innings in the majors over the past two seasons.
Zuniga, 26, made his first two appearances with the Cardinals in 2023. Zuniga made 15 appearances for the Halos. He pitched 17 2/3 innings, allowing 10 runs, with 12 strikeouts and eight walks. Zuniga pitched 26 innings at the Triple-A level with a 5.19 ERA and a strikeout rate well below average of 14.3%. Angels designated him for assignment after acquisition Travis Dano He was released a few days later.
This year’s drop in strikeouts marks a strange turn of events for much of Zuniga’s minor league career. He fanned four batters in more than 29 appearances in Triple-A over the course of 23 seasons. During his time in the lower minor leagues, his strikeout rate regularly reached 30%. Zuniga is averaging 97 mph on his four-seam fastball this year and will average just under 99 mph during his MLB time with the Cardinals in 2023.
