The Phillies have acquired right-handed pitcher Michael Rucker from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations.
Phillies President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski made the announcement.
Rucker, 29, appeared in 35 games for the Cubs last season and posted a 4.91 ERA (22 ER, 40.1 IP) with 40 strikeouts and 19 walks. Of the 294 right-handed pitchers in the majors with at least 40.0 innings pitched last season, Rucker’s 51.8% ground ball rate ranked 41st. He posted a 3.44 ERA in 32 of his 35 appearances in 2023, excluding a stretch of three consecutive appearances in May where he allowed nine earned runs in 6.1 innings pitched.
In 138 career minor league games (44 starts) over parts of seven seasons, Rucker has posted a 3.25 ERA (147 ER, 407.0 IP) with 424 strikeouts and a 1.15 WHIP.
Originally selected by Chicago in the 11th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Brigham Young University, Rucker was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Feb. 1.
To make room for Rucker on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Andrew Bellatti was designated for assignment.
