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Phillies' Mick Abel Breaks Silence After Record-Setting Debut

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated May 19, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies put ace Aaron Nola on the injured list and later called up former top-100 prospect Mick Abel. He got the start against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the series finale against Paul Skenes. In that matchup, Abel had an incredible performance and set a Phillies franchise record in the process.

On Monday, the day after his incredible debut, Abel shared on his Instagram a heartfelt message for the fans, his supporters, and the Phillies organization.

"A day I'll never forget! Thank you to those who were able to come support, and to those who watched from afar. I'm so grateful for all of your support throughout this journey. Thank you to the Phillies for providing an opportunity for a kid to achieve his dream. ❤️"

Abel has had a tumultuous journey to the Major Leagues. He was a first-round pick and named a top-100 prospect for some time. Abel was on par with top prospect Andrew Painter for a time. But things took a turn for the worse in 2024.

In 2024, Abel had a poor season. He had a 6.46 ERA in 108.2 innings and had three wins to 12 losses. It was the worst season in professional baseball from Abel by a long shot. There was a lot of concern surrounding his command, as Abel walked 78 batters compared to 117 strikeouts.

However, things took a turn in 2025, as Abel got off to a strong start in Triple-A before being called up. He had a 2.53 ERA in 46.1 innings of work, while walking 19 batters and striking out 51.

He took that momentum to his first Major League appearance, going six shutout innings with no walks and nine strikeouts, tied for the most in Phillies franchise history for a debut.

His performance on Sunday helped the Phillies notch a key win and helped secure a sweep of the Pirates. Abel's performance came at a great time, easing the minds of fans following the 80-game suspension of Jose Alvarado.

In Abel's heartfelt message, he thanks family, friends, fans, and the Phillies organization for their support. It's a nice statement following his strong debut. While Abel heads back to the Minor Leagues, the Phillies fans and team loved what they saw out of Abel in his debut.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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