I would think that Philly wouldn't just hand over a huge earner that's one of their own to another family. I remember when Merlino came home from doing that long stretch, he made a trip to California

"McGurn likes you, so I make you. So you are now one of us, if you fuck up, we take it out on McGurn. He is your sponsor. Fuck up, it's his ass. You work in his crew, he is your capo."