The Phillies announced they’ve selected the contract of outfielder Jorge Bonifacio. He’s getting the start tonight in center field against the Padres. To open space on the 40-man roster, Philadelphia designated reliever Mauricio Llovera for assignment.
Bonifacio joined the organization on a minor league deal in May. Originally assigned to Double-A Reading, he posted a strong .251/.343/.538 line across 198 plate appearances, earning a bump up to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Bonifacio has been even more impressive at the minors’ top level, mashing at a .321/.432/.564 clip in 95 trips to the plate to earn his first big league call this year.
This marks the fifth consecutive year in which Bonifacio picks up some MLB playing time. A fairly well-regarded prospect during his days in the Royals’ system, the right-handed hitter broke into the majors in 2017 and spent that season as Kansas City’s primary right fielder. He hit a fine .255/.320/.432 over 113 games that year, but he was suspended for half the 2018 campaign after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
Bonifacio picked up 270 plate appearances with the Royals down the stretch that season but failed to match his league average output from the year prior. After hitting just .225/.312/.360, he was mostly relegated to Triple-A in 2019. Bonfiacio only tallied 115 combined trips to the dish between Kansas City in 2019 and the Tigers last season.
He’s made it back to the majors and will apparently be an option for Philadelphia at all three spots on the grass. Tonight’s start in center will be just his second as a big leaguer, his first since his 2017 rookie season. Bonifacio has otherwise worked exclusively in the corner outfield.
Llovera was once one of the more promising young pitchers in the Philadelphia organization. At his prospect peak, he drew praise from evaluators for a mid-90’s fastball and pair of solid off-speed pitches. Llovera’s average fastball velocity has bounced back to 94.5 MPH this season after dipping last year, but he’s had a difficult 2021 campaign from a results perspective.
Over six big league appearances, Llovera has been tagged for seven runs in 6 2/3 innings, allowing five homers in the process. He’s spent more time in Lehigh Valley, where he has a 4.60 mark across 29 1/3 frames. The 25-year-old has posted strikeout and walk rates marginally worse than league average (24% and 10.9%, respectively) with the IronPigs.
The Phils will place Llovera on waivers in the coming days. He’s still young and not far removed from being regarded as a potentially useful bullpen arm, so he could attract interest on the wire. Llovera still has one additional minor league option year remaining, so any claiming team could keep him in Triple-A through the end of 2022 if he sticks on the 40-man roster.
Herrera to the DL?
AAAA would’ve liked Darick up.
.229
.271/.362/.468 since the start of June.
BA doesn’t matter anyway… also this move most likely won’t matter once Galvis is off the IL.
I love the whole “BA doesn’t matter” hot take. Big eyeroll.
Batting average doesn’t matter for the most part. OBP and Slugging are far more important as well as BA with runners I. Scoring position.
IDC WHO WE SELECT JUST THANK THE LORD LLOVERA IS GONE SHEESH
How do u hate a pitcher with 7 career relief appearances that much? llovera seems like the type to figure it out under actual coaching, then philly fans say the GM was an idiot to let him go
6 innings five home runs, it’s rough to watch him pitch that would be why
Llovera hasnt shown anything above the A+ level
5 home runs in 6 MLB appearances is enough to get you DFA’d from any team these days. Perhaps another team can fix him but I understand why Philly pulled the plug. When you are auditioning for a team, you have to be better than that, plain & simple.
Bwahahaha!
Memories…
Yeesh. It’s hard to imagine this team was in first a week ago. Mighty hard fall.
Calling up guys like him, Williams…just shows how bad this organization is at drafting. 15-16-17 they drafted OFer in rd1(Randolph/Moniak/Haseley) not a single one is on the mlb roster
calling up one of the team’s former high picks (Williams) is a knock on the organization?
Lol. Williams was a career .240 hitter in the minors. He stinks. The fact is they drafted 3OFer in the 1st rd and one was #1 overall. They missed on all 3.
He’s basically another teams version of Mikael Franco.
You’re spot on. The drafting and developing of talent has be awful. You named the guys that actually can semi-play. Remember Larry Green, Shane Watson and Mitch Gullier? They make the ones you mentioned look like all time greats.
I’ve always thought that Bonafacio was a solid 4th – 5th OF and I’m surprised how little MLB time he’s received since 2018. I’m sure the PED suspension didn’t help his career but he definitely has the skill to be a reserve OF in MLB and has enough power to get important extra base hits for teams as well. I hope he does well and finds regular MLB playing time in 2022 whether it be in Philly or elsewhere. Everyone deserves a second chance.
I have to give Llovera some credit. It’s not easy to give up 5 homers in just 6 2/3 innings.
Fairly easy when you give up back to back to back home runs without getting an out.
It’s not that hard. I did it in High School.
Bonafide or Bonifacio?
lets hope he no Bonifarceio
Juiceafied
Llovero is the type of guy Rhys Hoskins would hit a bomb off of. Late in the game of a blowout and he’d act like it was a postseason home run. Designate him while your freeing up roster spots DD
Stupid comment of the night right there, lol
The same continuing saga; have a plethora of young, mostly home grown cf prospects – Hasely, Moniak, Williams – who just never seem able to step up.
Problem either with scouting or on field development….