9:52am: Phillips has accepted his outright assignment, MLBTR has confirmed. He’ll remain with the organization in Triple-A.
8:30am: Outfielder Brett Phillips went unclaimed on outright waivers and has been assigned to Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles announced late last night. Phillips was designated for assignment last week when Baltimore called outfield prospect Kyle Stowers up to the big leagues.
Phillips has the three-plus years of service time needed to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, but he does not have the five-plus years needed to reject the assignment while retaining the remainder of his salary. There’s about $346K to be paid out on this year’s $1.4MM salary; he’d earn half that much were he to reject and sign elsewhere for the prorated league minimum.
That Phillips went unclaimed is at least somewhat of a surprise, even given his struggles at the plate in 2022. He’s hitting just .144/.217/.249 in 225 plate appearances this year, but Phillips is a dynamic defender — one of the game’s best, regardless of position — and possesses plus speed and power. Major strikeout issues (career 37.8%) and dismal splits against lefties limit his overall offensive output, but Phillips is still the type of fleet-footed, lights-out defender that many clubs like to carry down the stretch — both when September rosters expand to 28 players and, in some cases, into the postseason.
Prior to the 2022 campaign, Phillips carried a .203/.291/.381 slash in 675 MLB plate appearances — still well below par but far closer to passable than this year’s output, particularly when considering his 23 home runs, 29 steals (in 34 tries) and elite defensive marks. In 2136 career innings in the outfield, he has 39 Defensive Runs Saved, 31 Outs Above Average and a 25.5 Ultimate Zone Rating.
For now, assuming he accepts the outright assignment, he’ll remain with the Orioles but won’t count against their 40-man roster while playing in Norfolk. If Phillips isn’t added back to the 40-man roster before season’s end, he’ll become a free agent this offseason (as is the right of all outrighted players with at least three years of Major League service time).
It appears defense will only get you so far. In this case, AAA for the O’s.
He has speed too…
Smart move.. Phillips is a bust.. plus Os gotta start playing the young farms prospects we got. See who is real and whose a aaaa player
This man is a treasure
There are few players I root for more than Brett Phillips. A gift to humanity. If he’s done playing, there is little doubt he will succeed elsewhere.
@pinkerton and Shawnpe; agreed. I think what may have happened here is Elias saw more of a team need defensively when he bought Brett from TB. Plus great attitude and, to boot, post season tested.
What a difference a couple of weeks makes. The need switches to offense and Elias goes to the “farm” to get it. Philips out.
In the carnival world he’ll be for sure. He’ll have a great career as a clown
A very douchey comment there PAL.
Have to think that Brett will work very hard w his hitting coaches at Norfolk to help him w his issues. He is a serviceable player if he could just hit .200.
Would love to see him succeed.
An angel in the outfield
Thought Philadelphia would claim him, he’s alot better than Zimmer.
They probably would have if the timing worked out better.
Thought the Brewers might bring him back.
Why?? We have enough outfielders in AAA
Why the have Sal Frelick hitting over 440 in AAA, am not sure what they are waiting for he is ready.
If his bat matched his personality, he’d be a batting title contender.
They are right in that he is exactly the type that a contending team would add to their roster when they expand in September. Problem is, its not September and rosters haven’t expanded. With 10 days left, its not worth cutting someone to add him to the 40.
Phillips is awful. This guy should never step foot on a major league field ever again.
Even to get to where he is and stink up the joint makes him 100x better of an athlete and given 100x more of himself to his dream and craft than both of us combined.
Show the man some respect
No, he stinks and is hurting the game of major league baseball
You hurt the game of major league baseball
Good one
How many teams has Phillips joined just this year, am sure all these DFA notices he gets cannot be good for his mental state at the plate
One.
smh
Baseball is fun!