Headlines

  • Nationals Fire PBO Mike Rizzo, Manager Dave Martinez
  • Brewers Activate Brandon Woodruff
  • Clarke Schmidt Expected To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Bobby Jenks Passes Away
  • Braves Release Alex Verdugo
  • Top 40 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025 Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Orioles Outright Brett Phillips

By Steve Adams | August 22, 2022 at 9:52am CDT

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).

Share 0 Retweet 15 Send via email0

Baltimore Orioles Transactions Brett Phillips

Wander Franco Pulled Off Rehab Assignment
Main
Royals Promote Drew Waters
View Comments (25)
Post a Comment

25 Comments

  1. RobM

    3 years ago

    It appears defense will only get you so far. In this case, AAA for the O’s.

    3
    Reply
    • Datashark

      3 years ago

      He has speed too…

      Reply
  2. BmoreBallistics

    3 years ago

    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

    1
    Reply
  3. pinkerton

    3 years ago

    This man is a treasure

    8
    Reply
    • Shawnpe

      3 years ago

      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.

      6
      Reply
      • User 3594734386

        3 years ago

        @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.

        Reply
    • fisher40

      3 years ago

      In the carnival world he’ll be for sure. He’ll have a great career as a clown

      1
      Reply
      • mt in baltimore

        3 years ago

        A very douchey comment there PAL.

        2
        Reply
      • mt in baltimore

        3 years ago

        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.

        1
        Reply
    • PhiladelphiaCollins

      3 years ago

      An angel in the outfield

      Reply
  4. Bill nd

    3 years ago

    Thought Philadelphia would claim him, he’s alot better than Zimmer.

    2
    Reply
    • ham77

      3 years ago

      They probably would have if the timing worked out better.

      1
      Reply
  5. brewpackbuckbadg

    3 years ago

    Thought the Brewers might bring him back.

    Reply
    • fisher40

      3 years ago

      Why?? We have enough outfielders in AAA

      Reply
    • Datashark

      3 years ago

      Why the have Sal Frelick hitting over 440 in AAA, am not sure what they are waiting for he is ready.

      Reply
  6. hereallnight

    3 years ago

    If his bat matched his personality, he’d be a batting title contender.

    Reply
  7. stymeedone

    3 years ago

    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.

    1
    Reply
  8. BaseballClassic1985

    3 years ago

    Phillips is awful. This guy should never step foot on a major league field ever again.

    Reply
    • Jaysfan1981

      3 years ago

      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

      4
      Reply
      • BaseballClassic1985

        3 years ago

        No, he stinks and is hurting the game of major league baseball

        Reply
        • pinkerton

          3 years ago

          You hurt the game of major league baseball

          1
          Reply
        • BaseballClassic1985

          3 years ago

          Good one

          Reply
  9. Datashark

    3 years ago

    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

    Reply
    • Ra

      3 years ago

      One.

      smh

      Reply
  10. rsailler

    3 years ago

    Baseball is fun!

    1
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Nationals Fire PBO Mike Rizzo, Manager Dave Martinez

    Brewers Activate Brandon Woodruff

    Clarke Schmidt Expected To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Bobby Jenks Passes Away

    Braves Release Alex Verdugo

    Top 40 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline

    Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim

    Yankees Have Shown Interest In Ryan McMahon

    Royals Interested In Bryan Reynolds

    Rangers Option Josh Jung

    Kevin Pillar Announces Retirement

    Braves Place Spencer Schwellenbach On IL With Elbow Fracture

    Giants Exercise 2026 Option On Manager Bob Melvin

    Yordan Alvarez Shut Down Due To Setback With Hand Injury

    Astros Place Jeremy Peña On Injured List With Fractured Rib

    Tucker Barnhart To Retire

    Tyler Mahle To Be Sidelined Beyond Trade Deadline

    Reds Release Jeimer Candelario

    Dave Parker Passes Away

    Griffin Canning Diagnosed With Ruptured Achilles

    Recent

    Rays Notes: Rasmussen, Boyle, Lowe, Kim

    Nationals Sign Luis Garcia

    Cubs, Tigers Among Teams Interested In Ke’Bryan Hayes

    AL Central Notes: Thomas, Ragans, Lynch, Cobb

    Padres To Activate Yu Darvish On Monday

    Rhys Hoskins Suffers Grade 2 Thumb Sprain, Headed To IL

    Nationals Fire PBO Mike Rizzo, Manager Dave Martinez

    Rays Sign Peter Strzelecki To Minor League Contract

    MLB Announces 2025 All-Star Rosters

    Brewers Outright Daz Cameron, Select Anthony Seigler

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Sandy Alcantara Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Alex Bregman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version