Medina (0-1) allowed two runs on three hits and three walks over four innings Sunday, striking out four and taking the loss against Toronto.

EDGE Analysis

Despite being handed a loss in his MLB debut, Medina showed some flashes of promise. After allowing two runs in the first inning, he loaded the bases with one out in the second but escaped unscathed before cruising through two perfect innings to end his outing. If he gets another turn in the rotation before the season ends, expect Medina to face the Rays on the road next weekend.

The Phillies recalled Medina from their alternate training site ahead of his scheduled start Sunday against the Blue Jays.

EDGE Analysis

Philadelphia demoted outfielder Mickey Moniak to the alternate site to create room on the active roster for Medina, who will be making his MLB debut Sunday. The Phillies likely would have preferred to delay Medina's move to the big leagues until 2021, but injuries to rotation members Jake Arrieta (hamstring) and Spencer Howard (shoulder) have created a need for the 23-year-old. He spent most of the 2019 campaign at Double-A Reading, posting a 4.94 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 82:41 K:BB in 105.2 innings.

Medina will be called up from the alternate training site to start Sunday against the Blue Jays, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Phillies are in need of rotation pieces with Spencer Howard (shoulder) and Jake Arrieta (hamstring) injured, so Medina will be promoted for his major-league debut. The 23-year-old spent 2019 at Double-A Reading and posted a 4.94 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 82:41 K:BB across 105.2 innings.

The Phillies added Medina to the 60-man roster pool Wednesday, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Medina was likely to open the season as a member of the Triple-A Lehigh Valley rotation, but that didn't come to fruition after the 2020 minor-league campaign was cancelled earlier this summer. As a result, Medina will now report to the Phillies' alternate training site in Lehigh Valley, where he'll be able to regularly face live hitters in simulated games and batting practice sessions. He'll also be an option to join the big club at some point in 2020 if the Phillies are short on rotation arms or relief options for whatever reason.

Medina made just two Grapefruit League appearances this spring before being sent to minor-league camp in early March.

EDGE Analysis

The Phillies didn't appear to be treating Medina as if he was close to earning a big-league roster spot. That's no surprise, as the 23-year-old's numbers backed up last season in a full campaign for Double-A Reading. His ERA slipped to 4.94, while his strikeout rate plummeted from 26.1 percent to 17.5 percent. He'll have to show considerable improvement in the minors this season if he's to recapture his former prospect pedigree.

Manager Gabe Kapler ruled out Medina as a candidate to join the big-league rotation when a fifth starter is required again Saturday versus the Marlins, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

With Jerad Eickhoff's homer-prone ways resulting in him losing his rotation spot before he was moved to the injured list Monday with biceps tendinitis, the Phillies are short on appealing alternatives. Though he's regarded as the Phillies' top pitching prospect in the upper rungs of the minors, Medina apparently isn't viewed as a potential solution at the big-league level just yet. Even if his MLB debut isn't imminent, Medina could at least make the jump to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in the near future after going 6-0 with a 1.03 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over his last six starts with Double-A Reading.

Medina was optioned to Double-A Reading on Saturday, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 22-year-old spent the start of spring with the big-league club but was never a candidate for a roster spot, as he's yet to pitch above High-A. He'll move up a level this season after posting a 4.12 ERA with strong peripherals (a 26.1 percent strikeout rate, 7.6 percent walk rate and 50.2 percent groundball rate) for High-A Clearwater last season.

Medina's contract was selected by the Phillies on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Medina hasn't made it past High-A ball in his young professional career, but the Phillies evidently see potential in the 21-year-old right-hander and have added him to the 40-man roster to shield him from the Rule 5 draft. He figures to begin the 2019 campaign at Double-A Reading.

Medina had an up-and-down season with High-A Clearwater, failing to go beyond the third inning on five occasions but allowing one run or fewer 10 times, Matt Gelb of The Athletic Philadelphia reports.

EDGE Analysis

Medina's 4.12 ERA for Clearwater was over a run higher than the 3.01 ERA he recorded in 2017 for High-A Lakewood, but the underlying numbers are nearly identical. His strikeout and walk rates fell negligibly from 26.3 percent and 7.7 percent respectively to 26.1 percent and 7.6 percent, while his groundball rate rose slightly from 48.1 percent to 50.2 percent. It's encouraging to see the 21-year-old maintain his performance level as he climbs up the minors, and he'll look to do the same next season at Double-A Reading. Medina has yet to receive a mid-season promotion so far in his professional career, so his MLB debut likely won't come until 2020, but it's not impossible to see him called up late in 2019.

Medina tossed seven scoreless innings and struck out 12 for High-A Clearwater in its 2-1 win over Florida on Saturday. He gave up two base hits and issued no walks in the 90-pitch outing.

EDGE Analysis

Believed to be one of the main prospects the Phillies made available to the Orioles in a potential Manny Machado trade, Medina ultimately remained with Philadelphia when Baltimore shipped their star shortstop to Los Angeles after the All-Star Game. Medina's outing Saturday at least demonstrated why he was a worthy centerpiece in a trade for one of baseball's top stars, as he displayed impeccable command with all three of his pitches while tying his career high in strikeouts. The 20-year-old retired the final 17 batters he faced en route to lowering his ERA to 4.48 over 78.1 innings in the Florida State League.