TODAY: Plouffe could earn at a $1.5MM annual rate in the majors on the contract, which also includes some opt-out chances, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter).
YESTERDAY: The Phillies have struck a minor-league deal with veteran third baseman Trevor Plouffe, according to Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter). (H/t to Eric English, who first tweeted the connection.)
Details are sparse beyond the fact that it is a minors arrangement. Plouffe spent the spring in camp with the Rangers but ultimately asked for his release after failing to crack the MLB roster.
The 31-year-old Plouffe returned to the open market in search of an opportunity to earn his way back to the majors. He has at times been a solid regular at the hot corner, and carries a .242/.304/.410 slash with more than a hundred long balls in over three thousand MLB plate appearances in eight seasons. Now, though, Plouffe is coming off of a brutal 2017 season in which he hit just .2198/.272/.318 over 313 trips to the plate.
It seems likely that Plouffe will mostly be viewed as a depth piece for the Phils. The club already has Maikel Franco lined up at third base and does not appear to have a clear use for a corner infield reserve on the major-league roster as things stand.
Over hundred long balls, and Over three thousand plate appearances? — Pff Ichiro has over three thousand hits, and almost hundred long balls. Just busting your chops ;)
Good luck to Plouffe. Surprised he’s only 31
I know, he was pretty good and then all of a sudden plouffe, he dropped off.
Excellent work. Although, just my $.02, I think it would’ve hit harder if you would’ve used asterisks around plouffe…
Glad to see him get another chance
I still don’t get why he asked for his release from the Rangers. He ended up with another minor league deal, which he had to know was the most logical option for him. No one will be surprised if the Rangers trade Beltre at the break, which would have given him a clear path to the majors. Seems like he will have a very limited chance to crack the big league club with Philly.
Not sure I see a Beltre trade, but…I agree that players often seem to opt out without really examining the market first. I guess it’s a mix of confidence/hope, but…
Seems like the Rangers were a better path for him.
Kinda like Kevin Siegrist with the Pirates. Whose bullpen is easier to make than the Pirates? They are carrying 8 relievers and at any given time, 3 have been bad.
And one of those three has consistently been Josh Smoker. I get a headache every time I see him up in the pen.
I agree with others here that there is no clear path to MLB with the Phillies, but Franco was objectively bad last season, and I think the Phillies are better this season than management expected.
Put those two things together, and if Plouffe somehow regains his old form and Franco falters, this management team is likely to be very unsentimental if they think a rebounding Plouffe can help them get to the postseason.
The Phillies biggest weaknesses right now are – in this order – C, 3B and RF. RF will take care if itself, as one or both of Altherr and Williams will start hitting. C is a bit more difficult because there’s no obvious replacement for either guy. 3B, OTOH, can be more easily fixed if Franco doesn’t get better, and Plouffe is a low risk insurance policy.
And yes, they can play Kingery there, but he’s not a permanent solution.
If the Phils are within striking distance in July, do you think they’d make a play for Machado?
Maybe Plouffe didn’t like the food, or training in Arizona, or his teammates or his astrological chart. There could be so many different reasons. It isn’t always logical. Sad he stumbled before the big FA money.
Good luck w that.
Yeah, Franco shouldn’t sweat this move too much. He just needs his production level to be slightly higher than would Plouffe’s which Franco should be able to do in his sleep.
I like him. Last year he was batting .2198
Haha
Beltre places on DL. Looks like a Plouffe-up to leave the Rangers….