Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Phillies Rumors

Phillies Place Matt Joyce, Andrew Knapp On Injured List, Call Up Matt Vierling, Rafael Marchan

By | at

The Phillies announced a number of roster moves this afternoon. Matt Joyce has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain and Andrew Knapp has been placed on the 7-day injured list because of a concussion. In their place, the Phillies have selected the contract of outfielder Matt Vierling and recalled catcher Rafael Marchan from Triple-A.

The 36-year-old Joyce has had a limited impact this season as an extra bat off the bench. In 62 plate appearances across 36 games, Joyce has slashed .100/.258/.240. In his defense, most of that action has come in a pinch-hitting role. True to his reputation, he’s also maintained a positive approach, posting a 16.1 percent walk rate and 22.6 percent strikeout rate. He has not been helped by an .086 BABIP mark.

The 24-year-old Vierling has not yet appeared in the Majors. He is, in fact, making the jump after just three games at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He had not appeared above High-A before this season. Regardless, he ’s been on point so far this season, slashing a combined .354/.426/.616 in 115 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A.

Like Joyce, Knapp has had a tough go of it this season: -1.0 bWAR and a triple slash line of .174/.234/.221 that’s far from characteristic of what the Phillies have come to expect from their long-time backup catcher.

Marchan has had a taste of the bigs in five games of action this season. He should slide seamlessly into his role backing up J.T. Realmuto.

Phillies Jean Segura Out Three Weeks With Groin Strain

By | at

7:44 pm: The Phillies are placing Segura on the 10-day IL, Girardi told reporters (including Matt Gelb of the Athletic). Maton has indeed been recalled to replace him. GM Sam Fuld said Segura suffered a Grade 1 groin strain and is expected to miss three weeks (via Zolecki).

7:57 am: Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to the Dodgers was a particularly tough night for the Phillies, due to injuries to both Bryce Harper and Jean Segura.  Harper left the game in the fourth inning due to lower back tightness, while Segura came up limping after beating out a grounder to first base in the ninth.  Segura was replaced for pinch-runner Andrew Knapp, as the backup catcher was the last man remaining on Philadelphia’s bench after Harper’s injury and other in-game substitutions.

Segura’s injury was labeled a left groin strain, and manager Joe Girardi told reporters (including MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki) after the game that “I’m not so confident that’s day to day,” so a trip to the 10-day injured list certainly looks to be in the cards for the infielder.  This would Segura’s second IL stint of the season, after a right squad strain sidelined for 15 games in late April and early May.

Despite the missed time, Segura has still been one of the Phillies’ best hitters this season, and he has been on pace for the best numbers of his 10-year career.  Segura has hit .332/.379/.465 over 203 plate appearances (133 wRC+, 136 OPS+), cracking three homers and scoring 24 runs.  While Segura has benefited from a sky-high .378 BABIP and his .365 wOBA far outpaces his .321 xwOBA, he has also been one of the league’s harder player to strike out.  Now in his second year as the Phils’ starting second baseman, Segura is also delivering above-average glovework, as per the Outs Above Average (+4) and Defensive Runs Saved (+4) metrics, though UZR/150 (-7.4) isn’t a fan of his defense at the keystone.

Nick Maton would be the likeliest Triple-A call-up if Segura did hit the injured list, as Maton has the second-most innings at second base of any Phillies player this season.  The rookie got off to a hot start in his first MLB season, but an 0-for-20 slump resulted in Maton being sent to Triple-A last week.  Ronald Torreyes and Brad Miller are second-base options on the active roster, though Torreyes has been starting at shortstop in the wake of Maton’s slump and Miller’s utilityman skills might be required in the outfield with Harper hurting.

In the bigger picture, however, there’s really no ideal way for the Phillies to replace Segura and Harper if both miss a substantial amount of time.  Philadelphia is in second place in the NL East but with only a 32-33 record, and the team sits five games back of both the division lead and the second NL wild card berth.  If the Phillies continue to hover around the .500 mark and can’t gain any ground in either playoff race, it remains to be seen how aggressive the team might be at the trade deadline (or, if they might pivot to selling some players).

Bryce Harper Removed From Game Due To Back Tightness

By | at

TODAY: Harper left the game due to tightness in his lower back.  Girardi told MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki and other reporters that Harper might not play in today’s game, though Harper’s recurring back issues aren’t thought to be a long-term issue.  “I think he’ll be a player for us on Friday,” Girardi said, referring to Philadelphia’s next game.

JUNE 15: Phillies star right fielder Bryce Harper was removed from tonight’s game against the Dodgers in the fourth inning, reports Matt Gelb of The Athletic.  “Looks like he hurt his back on a swing,” according to Gelb.

Harper was day-to-day with lower back tightness at one point in mid-April, but only took one day off for the issue.  He suffered a terrifying injury later that month, taking a Genesis Cabrera fastball to his left cheek.  He actually avoided the IL immediately after that one, dealing with various nagging injuries until the Phillies put him on the shelf for a left forearm contusion in late May.  Phils manager Joe Girardi wasn’t particularly forthcoming during that period, so who knows what we’ll get on the latest Harper injury.  The Phillies, 4.5 games back in both the NL East and the Wild Card at the time of this writing, can’t afford an extended absence from Harper.

Meanwhile, we learned today that Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius has been slow to recover from an elbow injury due to something called “pseudogout.”  According to the Mayo Clinic, pseudogout is “a form of arthritis characterized by sudden, painful swelling in one or more of your joints.”  Gregorius last played for the Phillies on May 12th.

Phillies Sign Brock Stassi

By | at

The Phillies have signed first baseman Brock Stassi to a minor league contract, per an announcement from the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. Stassi had played in thirteen games with the Ducks before earning his way back into the affiliated ranks. He’ll be assigned to Double-A Reading.

Stassi (the older brother of Angels catcher Max Stassi) is most well known for his previous stint with the Phillies. The former 33rd-round pick and six-year minor league veteran broke camp with the Phils in 2017 and picked up fairly regular playing time over the season’s first month. Stassi didn’t produce much in that limited time, hitting just .167/.278/.295 with a pair of homers over ninety plate appearances.

Philadelphia outrighted Stassi off the roster near the end of that season. He’s hooked on with the Giants and Twins in recent years but hasn’t made it back to the big leagues. The 31-year-old has a .264/.364/.403 line in parts of four seasons at Triple-A, and he’s compiled a similar .271/.356/.404 mark at Double-A.

Injury Notes: Voit, Haniger, Kim, Gregorius

By | at

The Yankees announced yesterday first baseman Luke Voit was beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 30-year-old has missed a little less than three weeks after suffering a Grade 2 oblique strain. It’s been an injury-marred campaign so far for Voit, who also missed the first six weeks of the season with a meniscus tear in his knee. Last season’s home run leader, Voit has only managed 50 plate appearances in between the two IL stints. His forthcoming return will be a welcome development for the Yankees, whose first baseman have hit a dreadful .176/.266/.270 in 2021. Only the Indians have gotten less offensive production at the position this season.

More injury updates from around the game:

  • Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger left yesterday’s game in the first inning after fouling a ball off his left knee. It seems he’s dodged serious injury, though, as manager Scott Servais told reporters (including Corey Brock of the Athletic) he suffered a deep bone bruise but avoided any fractures. Haniger, who missed the second half of 2019 and all of 2020 due to injury, has rebounded to post a strong .259/.310/.518 line with 16 homers across 274 plate appearances this season.
  • The Cardinals are likely to activate lefty Kwang-hyun Kim to start tomorrow night’s game against the Marlins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat was among those to relay. The 32-year-old went on the IL on June 5 with back stiffness, but he’s apparently in line to return after a minimal stint. Kim has tossed 40 innings of 4.05 ERA/4.29 SIERA ball this season. The St. Louis rotation has been hit hard by injuries in recent weeks, with Miles Mikolas and Jack Flaherty both landing on the IL for extended periods. That makes the rotation an obvious area to target if the Cardinals look to acquire outside help before the trade deadline.
  • Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius suffered a setback in his rehab process from a right elbow impingement, manager Joe Girardi told reporters (including Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia). It doesn’t seem to be particularly worrisome, as Girardi said it was “a little stiffness and a little soreness” and that the organization is still hoping to get him back in relatively short order. It’s been a tough season for Gregorius, who hit just .229/.266/.364 in 128 plate appearances before landing on the IL last month.

NL Roster Moves: Marlins, Rogers, Reds, Santillan, Phillies, Haseley, De Los Santos

By | at

Marlins’ breakout starter Trevor Rogers has been placed on the injured list without an injury designation, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). It’s safe to assume the move relates to COVID-19 in some form or fashion, though speculatively speaking, it could be that Rogers is dealing with side effects from the vaccine. McPherson notes that the injured list stint is not expected to be long. That’s obviously welcome news for the Marlins, given Rogers performance in 13 starts this season. The 23-year-old rookie has logged 75 2/3 stellar innings with a 2.02 ERA/2.56 FIP.

In the meantime, Preston Guilmet had his contract selected, and he has been added to the active roster. The 33-year-old has not appeared in the Majors since 2018. He owns a 9.27 career ERA in 33 innings dating back to his 2013 debut with the Indians. Guilmet has also seen game action with the Orioles, Rays, Brewers, Cardinals, and Blue Jays. Elsewhere in the National League…

  • The Reds have recalled reliever Tony Santillan from Triple-A Louisville this morning, per the team. Santillan, 24, will make his Major League debut if he gets in a game. Fangraphs ranked him as the Reds’ 14th-ranked prospect at the start of this season, while Baseball America has him as high as ninth, noting some late-game potential for Santillan down the line.
  • The Phillies recalled Enyel De Los Santos from Triple-A, optioning catcher Rafael Marcan to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, per the team. Outfielder Adam Haseley was also reinstated from the restricted list and optioned to Triple-A.

Phillies Outright Brady Lail

By | at

The Phillies announced Thursday that right-hander Brady Lail has been assigned outright to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. That announcement indicates that he went unclaimed on waivers.

As MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki points out (via Twitter), the Phils need to make a 40-man move in order to open a spot for Adam Haseley’s reinstatement from the restricted list by Saturday. Haseley has been on the restricted list since April 14 after stepping away from the team due to undisclosed personal matters. He returned to the organization in mid-May and had a 30-day window to get up to speed in Triple-A.

Lail, 27, was claimed off waivers from the Mariners back on May 23 and has yet to appear in the big leagues. He tossed a scoreless frame in his organizational debut with Lehigh Valley’s IronPigs, but Lail was tagged for five runs his next time out and surrendered another two runs in his third outing with the Phillies’ top affiliate.

Lail has spent the bulk of his career with the Yankees organization but began to bounce around the league in journeyman fashion in 2019. He’s since been with the White Sox and Mariners, in addition to the Phillies. Lail has strong numbers up through the Double-A level in the minors but has been hit hard in Triple-A and in the big leagues. Through 21 MLB frames, he has an even 6.00 ERA and has surrendered seven home runs.

Injury Notes: Cain, Archer, Garlick, Didi, Smith

By | at

The Brewers won’t activate center fielder Lorenzo Cain from the 10-day injured list until at least July 1, manager Craig Counsell told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other reporters. Cain hit the IL on June 1 with a strained right hamstring – an injury that’s “significant,” according to Counsell. It’s been a rough year for Cain in terms of injuries, as he was on the IL earlier with a strained left quad and has only appeared in 31 games. The 35-year-old has hit .223/.322/.350 with three home runs and four stolen bases across 118 plate appearances. With Cain unavailable this month, the Brewers figure to continue turning to Jackie Bradley Jr. and Tyrone Taylor in center.

A few more injury updates from around the majors:

  • Rays right-hander Chris Archer is hopeful he’ll return from forearm tightness in early July, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times relays. Archer reunited with the Rays on a one-year, $6.5MM contract in free agency, but he made just two appearances and combined for 4 1/3 innings before suffering this injury. Archer, previously with the Pirates, missed all of 2020 after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery.
  • It appears the Twins will go without outfielder Kyle Garlick for the foreseeable future, as they announced that he’s going to the IL with a sports hernia. Minnesota is already without fellow outfielders Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Luis Arraez and Jake Cave, who have all been on the shelf since May. The Twins recalled outfielder Gilberto Celestino to replace Garlick, who’s off to a .232/.280/.465 start with five home runs in 107 PA.
  • Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius will begin a Triple-A rehab assignment on Wednesday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com tweets. Gregorius has been out for almost a month with a right hip impingement, having not taken the field since May 12. Between the injury and his .229/.266/.364 line in 128 PA, it’s been a less-than-ideal campaign for Gregorius, whom the Phillies re-signed to a two-year, $28MM contract in the winter.
  • The Astros have placed reliever Joe Smith on the IL with an ominous-sounding issue – right elbow soreness (via Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). Houston recalled righty Brandon Bielak to take over for Smith, who has put up an uncharacteristically high ERA (6.23) in 17 1/3 innings. While Smith has only walked 4.8 percent of hitters, his second-lowest strikeout rate (18.1), a 23.1 percent home run-to-fly ball rate and a .414 batting average on balls in play against have worked against him.

Phillies Select Luke Williams

By | at

The Phillies have selected the contract of infielder Luke Williams from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Philadelphia also reinstated right-handers Chase Anderson and David Hale from the COVID-19 injured list, optioned lefty Cristopher Sanchez and placed reliever Brandon Kintzler on the 10-day IL (retroactive to Monday) with a neck strain.

This is the first major league opportunity for Williams, a 24-year-old who has been with the Phillies since they drafted him in Round 3 in 2015. Williams now ranks as the Phillies’ 29th-best prospect at MLB.com, which compliments his high-end speed, defensive versatility and improving offense. Indeed, in his Triple-A debut this year, Williams has slashed a marvelous .352/.439/.465 with three stolen bases in 82 plate appearances.

Kintzler, meanwhile, has gotten off to a rough start this year after joining the Phillies on a minor league contract in the winter. The 36-year-old previously established himself as a competent reliever with multiple teams, but he has only managed an 8.50 ERA in 18 innings this season. To Kintzler’s credit, he has continued to induce groundballs and limit walks at above-average clips, and his 3.47 SIERA suggests better days may be ahead.

Phillies Outright Scott Kingery

By | at

The Phillies announced that they have reinstated infielder/outfielder Scott Kingery from the injured list and outrighted him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Kingery cleared waivers and is no longer part of the Phillies’ 40-man roster, though he’s still with the organization.

Needless to say, this is not what the Phillies had in mind when they signed Kingery to a six-year, $24MM guarantee entering the 2018 season. Kingery hadn’t even played in the majors at that point, making his deal the largest for anyone who hadn’t yet appeared in the bigs. The former second-round pick was a top-tier prospect then, which led the Phillies to gamble on locking him up at what they thought were team-friendly prices for the long haul. He’s earning $4MM this year, and the club owes him a combined $15MM from 2022-24 (including a $1MM buyout for the last of those seasons).

While Kingery’s pact also includes team options ranging from $13MM to $15MM from 2024-26, it seems doubtful he’ll ever rake in that money. After all, the 27-year-old has failed to establish himself as a viable major leaguer, having batted just .229/.280/.387 with 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases in 1,127 plate appearances. Kingery, who’s just 1-for-19 with 12 strikeouts in the bigs this season, hasn’t played with the Phillies since May 16. He’ll now have to try to make his way back to their roster via Triple-A, where he’s a .291/.330/.453 hitter across 307 trips to the plate.

Show all

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