Mick Abel ‘super excited’ for MLB debut: ‘It’s a good shot for me to go out there and show who I am.’

When Mick Abel called his dad back home in Oregon a few days ago, the conversation began differently than usual.

“Is mom in the room?” Abel asked.

Abel’s dad put Mick’s mom on speaker phone, then added his brother to the call. And that’s when Abel broke the news: The Phillies were calling him up to start Sunday — against Pittsburgh Pirates sensation Paul Skenes, no less — at Citizens Bank Park.

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“I think they were as shocked as I was,” Abel said Saturday after joining the Phillies. “It was super sweet. Yeah, it was pretty cool.”

The Phillies will add Abel to the active roster Sunday for a one-start cameo. Taijuan Walker will step into the rotation vacancy created by Aaron Nola‘s move to the injured list with a sprained right ankle. But because Walker threw 59 pitches in a three-inning relief appearance Wednesday, the Phillies need someone to tide them over.

And that’s where Abel comes in.

“It’s awesome,” said the 23-year-old righty. “I’m super excited. I’m expecting all the nerves in the world, but it’s the game. It’s [just] a different place. But to make it here, it’s pretty special.”

Abel’s journey is well-known. The Phillies drafted him in the first round (15th overall) out of high school in 2020, and he was among the youngest players through every level of the minors.

Last season, Abel’s stock slid after he posted a 6.46 ERA in 24 starts for triple-A Lehigh Valley. But he has rebounded well so far this year, with a 2.53 ERA through eight triple-A starts.

“I’m not thinking about anything while I’m out there other than trying to compete,” Abel told Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball show, earlier this week. “I’m just trying to attack hitters. It’s strike one, strike two, good luck. That’s how I’m trying to approach it. It’s been a very consistent way of thinking for me, and it’s helped a lot.”

» READ MORE: Kyle Schwarber is better than ever at 32. Here’s how the slugger evolved into a ‘complete hitter.’

It’s a top-down philosophy within the organization. But pitching coach Caleb Cotham stressed it throughout the offseason with Abel, a cerebral pitcher who enjoys diving into pitching data, perhaps to his detriment over the years.

Abel said his parents, brother, and girlfriend are flying in for his debut. Phillies manager Rob Thomson suggested that the limited engagement — one start, then back to triple A, regardless of how Abel fares against the Pirates — may help take some of the edge off.

But Abel expects to feel first-start butterflies — OK, more like pterodactyls.

“I don’t really know how I’m going to take that deep breath or where I’m going to do it,” Abel said. “But I’m excited to be out there and just live for the moment.”

Nola, one month shy of the 10-year anniversary of his major league debut, has some advice.

“Walk out of that bullpen and look at the whole stadium and the fans and enjoy it,” Nola said. “It sort of feels like yesterday, to be honest with you, that I was in that position. Just enjoy it and take everything in. You only get one debut.

“That’s kind of what I told him. I mean, that’s all you really can do. Myself, anybody, we can tell him what to expect, but he won’t know what to expect until he actually does it.”

» READ MORE: Nobody sees fewer pitches in the strike zone than Bryce Harper. Can he do more with less?

Nola’s debut ended in a hard-luck 1-0 loss to the Rays at Citizens Bank Park. The run scored on a homer by ... get this ... Tampa Bay pitcher Nate Karns.

“I remember going over the lineup and [catcher] Cameron Rupp gets to [Karns], and he goes, ‘He stinks. He’s a pitcher,’” Nola said. “First pitch, home run. I go, ‘What?’”

So, Abel can take solace in not having to actually face Skenes, even if he will be opposing him.

“I’m just excited to get out there,” Abel said. “I know it’s just one [start], but it’s a good shot for me to go out there and show who I am.”

Nola played catch Saturday and said he still felt discomfort in his ankle. He doesn’t expect to throw from a mound in a full-fledged bullpen session until the pain goes away.

Meanwhile, Nola chatted with Skenes in the outfield during batting practice. They’re the most accomplished pitchers to play for LSU.

But Sunday will mark the first time Nola has seen Skenes pitch in person.

“Just talking with him out there, he’s super humble and got a good head on his shoulders,” Nola said. “He’s holding himself like a veteran guy and not a young guy. It’s been really fun to watch him succeed so far.”

» READ MORE: ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Aaron Nola on how he gets ready for a start, 10 years with the same team, and more

Kyle Schwarber will enter Sunday’s game with 299 career homers. Only 10 active players, including Bryce Harper (343), and 162 players overall have hit 300 homers. ... After the Skenes-Abel matchup, the Phillies will fly to Colorado to open a four-game series against the Rockies, who are on pace for 136 losses. Cristopher Sánchez (4-1, 2.91 ERA) is scheduled to face Rockies lefty Kyle Freeland (0-6, 6.15) at 8:40 p.m. Monday.