Phillies manager Rob Thomson called Mick Abel into his office Friday morning and let him know he was being optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley. “I think he understood,” Thomson said. “And I think he’s going to go down there,

Mick Abel will head to Triple-A Lehigh Valley this week as the Phillies hope to get their No. 5 prospect back on track. Abel, who lasted just 1 2/3 innings in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader, was optioned to Lehigh Valley prior to Friday's series opener vs.

Mick Abel couldn't sustain his sublime major league debut and is headed to the minors. Taijuan Walker is back in Philadelphia's rotation. And anticipation that prized prospect Andrew Painter could be headed to the Phillies will stretch past the All-Star break.