The first indication the Phillies had made a roster move Monday night came when manager Ryne Sandberg arrived about 15 minutes later than usual for his postgame news conference.
But instead of the expected trimming of their eight-man bullpen, the Phillies made a surprise decision after a 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh at Citizens Bank Park and optioned third baseman Cody Asche to triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Asche will get everyday repetitions in left field with the IronPigs, setting the table for the promotion of third base prospect Maikel Franco in the near future. The move was made in conjunction with righthander Sean O'Sullivan's activation from the disabled list.