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Josh Harrison

Josh Harrison Announces Retirement

By Mark Polishuk | May 31, 2025 at 9:57am CDT

After 13 Major League seasons, Josh Harrison officially announced his retirement exactly 14 years to the day after he played in his first MLB game.  The 37-year-old Harrison thanked his family, teammates, and the many others in his life that contributed to his career in a post on his X account, and ended his statement by thanking baseball itself:

“Thank you for helping shape me, humble me, and give me a platform to grow, not just as a player, but as a man.  I’m blessed to have been a 2x All-Star and to play for as long as I did, but I never sought to prove people wrong, only to prove myself right in my beliefs.  With that being said, future players don’t let other people’s expectations of you limit you from reaching your full potential.  Put in the work and go get what you deserve.”

A sixth-round pick for the Cubs in the 2008 draft, Harrison never suited up for the Cubs at the MLB level, as he was dealt within the NL Central to the Pirates as part of a five-player trade deadline swap in July 2009.  Harrison made his big league debut with Pittsburgh in 2011 and then spent the next eight seasons with the Bucs, playing several positions but primarily handling second and third base.

As Harrison noted, he was named to two All-Star teams in his career, in 2014 and 2017.  The 2014 campaign was the best of Harrison’s career, as he hit .315/.347/.490 with 13 homers over 550 plate appearances, and finishing ninth in NL MVP voting to help lead the Pirates to a wild card berth.  Andrew McCutchen was undoubtedly the biggest star of that era of Pirates baseball, but Harrison’s emergence as a regular (and in 2014, a star in his own right) contributed to the core of a Pittsburgh club that reached the postseason every year from 2013-15.

Harrison cashed in on his 2014 performance by signing a four-year, $27.3MM extension with the Pirates in April 2015.  The contract also contained club options for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, but the Bucs declined the first of those options (paying Harrison a $1MM buyout instead of a $10.5MM salary for 2019) following the 2018 campaign.  Beyond the fact that the Pirates have traditionally been wary of even moderate spending, Harrison’s performance dipped in 2018, and he spent a good chunk of the season on the injured list due to a fractured hand.

The last five seasons of Harrison’s career saw him hit .254/.314/.367 over 1335 PA with the Tigers, Nationals, Athletics, White Sox, and Phillies from 2019-23.  He hit quite well with Washington in 2020 and in the first part of the 2021 season, though his bat cooled off after being dealt to the A’s at the 2021 trade deadline.  Beyond these big-league appearances, Harrison also signed minor league contracts with the Rangers in 2023 and with the Reds in 2024, though those deals didn’t translate to any time at the MLB level.  The latter contract represented a bit of a homecoming for the Cincinnati native, but Harrison opted out of his deal with the Reds during Spring Training 2024 after being told he wasn’t making the team.

For his career, Harrison hit .270/.316/.396 with 73 home runs, 1080 hits, 218 doubles, 91 steals (out of 128 attempts) over 4347 plate appearances and 1208 games.  The utilityman played at least one game at every position except catcher over the course of his career, including six mop-up appearances on the mound.

We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Harrison on a fine career, and we wish him all the best in his post-playing days.

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Pittsburgh Pirates Washington Nationals Josh Harrison Retirement

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Josh Harrison Opts Out Of Minors Deal With Reds

By Darragh McDonald | March 18, 2024 at 2:25pm CDT

Utility player Josh Harrison has opted of his minor league deal with the Reds, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. He signed with the club last month on a deal that allowed him to opt out if not on the roster by March 21. He was informed that he would not be making the team and will be returning to free agency.

The path for Harrison to make the club was not smooth, as the Reds are loaded with talented young position players. That depth has taken some recent hits, as infielder Noelvi Marté was hit with an 80-game PED suspension while outfielder TJ Friedl is set to miss significant time due to a wrist fracture.

But even with those issues, the club still has plenty of options for filling out its lineup and roster. Jeimer Candelario, Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand can handle the infield duties most of the time, with Spencer Steer, Jake Fraley and Will Benson in the outfield and Tyler Stephenson behind the plate. Jonathan India can have a regular role, serving as the designated hitter or rotating through various defensive positions. Luke Maile and Stuart Fairchild figure to have two bench spots accounted for while the club also has Bubba Thompson, Nick Martini, Rece Hinds and Jacob Hurtubise on the roster. Non-roster invitees such as Tony Kemp, Mike Ford, Mark Mathias and Erik González are around if the club wants to add someone into to its roster.

Harrison would have been in that latter group but hasn’t been in good form recently. He hit just .204/.263/.291 for the Phillies last year and got released in August. He then signed a minor league deal with the Rangers, hitting .222/.323/.370 in six games before opting out of that pact. In eight spring games with the Reds this year, he’s hit .250/.250/.350.

But he’s not too far removed from being a solid utility option in the big leagues. He played 290 games from 2020 to 2022, hitting .270/.332/.390 in that time for a wRC+ of 102. His 5.4% walk rate wasn’t strong but he limited strikeouts to a 14.7% clip. He also bounced around the diamond, playing every position except catcher.

He’ll now look for another opportunity on the open market, with that versatility perhaps helping him find his next gig. He’s not much more than an emergency option at first base, shortstop or center field, having played just one inning in his career at first, just three innings in the past two years at short and 10 innings overall in center. But he has plenty of experience at second base, third base and the outfield corners. There will likely be plenty of roster shuffling in the next week or two as clubs around the league finalize their camp cuts and other veterans trigger opt-outs.

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Cincinnati Reds Transactions Josh Harrison

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Reds Sign Josh Harrison To Minor League Deal

By Leo Morgenstern | February 5, 2024 at 3:11pm CDT

3:11pm: Per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, Harrison would have a salary of $1.5MM this season if he makes the club and has an opt-out opportunity on March 21.

1:44pm: The Reds have come to terms on a minor league contract with utility man Josh Harrison, as confirmed by Harrison’s agency MSM Sports. The deal includes an invitation to spring training. 

In his age-35 season, Harrison appeared in 41 MLB games, splitting his time between third base, second base, and the corner outfield spots. He also has experience playing shortstop and has filled in at first base, in center field, and on the mound as needed. Yet, given Cincinnati’s abundance of infield depth, it’s hard to imagine Harrison making the team out of spring training. Barring an injury to one (or several) of Elly De La Cruz, Jeimer Candelario, Jonathan India, Noelvi Marte, Matt McLain, and Spencer Steer, there simply isn’t any space or any need for another infielder on the 26-man roster, no matter how versatile. However, if Harrison, an Ohio native and University of Cincinnati alum, is willing to bide his time at Triple-A, there could be a role for him eventually as injuries inevitably pop up.

Harrison was a valuable role player as recently as the 2022 campaign, when he posted a 97 wRC+ and 1.4 FanGraphs WAR in 119 contests for the White Sox. Unfortunately, he struggled mightily the following year with the Phillies, hardly ever walking and hitting for even less power than usual. He was worth -0.6 fWAR in just 41 games, leading to his release after the trade deadline. Although he landed with the Rangers soon after on a minor league deal, the veteran infielder failed to make his way back to the majors before opting out of his contract at the end of August. Considering his age and steep decline, it would be fair to presume Harrison’s best days are behind him. At the same time, he has a long track record of success and played well from 2020-22. If he can bounce back, the young Reds offense could certainly benefit from his experienced presence in the clubhouse.

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Cincinnati Reds Transactions Josh Harrison

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Josh Harrison Opts Out Of Minors Deal With Rangers

By Darragh McDonald | August 25, 2023 at 1:45pm CDT

Josh Harrison has opted out of his minor league deal with the Rangers, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Teams usually have 48 to 72 hours after an opt-out clause is triggered to decide whether or not to add a player to their roster. The specifics are unclear in this case, but it’s possible Harrison will become a free agent in the coming days, if he isn’t one already.

Harrison, now 36, signed a one-year, $2MM deal with the Phillies this winter. They were hoping to utilize him as a reliable veteran utility player who could slot in at multiple positions. While he did play some second base, third base and the outfield corners, he hit just .204/.263/.291 and was released in early August. He then landed with the Rangers on a minor league deal and has been with Triple-A Round Rock in recent days, hitting .222/.323/.370 in six games there.

It hasn’t been a tremendous year at the plate for Harrison but he has a longer track record there. He has a career batting line of .270/.316/.396 in 1,209 career games, a line that translates to a wRC+ of 95. For a guy who can bounce around to various spots on the diamond, that’s been serviceable production. He’s spent the majority of his career at second base or third base but has also spent time in all three outfield spots, along with limited action at shortstop, first base and even on the mound.

As mentioned, opt-out clauses usually give the club some window of time to decide whether or not to give the player a roster spot. If the team chooses not to, then the player can elect free agency. Players are postseason eligible for a club as long as they are within that organization prior to September 1, giving Harrison just under a week to either get a roster spot with the Rangers or perhaps find a new deal with another team if he returns to free agency.

The Rangers have a regular infield of Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Nathaniel Lowe and Ezequiel Durán, with Josh H. Smith in the bench role and Jonathan Ornelas providing Triple-A depth. Josh Jung is out with a thumb fracture but could return later in the year. If the Rangers don’t add Harrison to the roster, he will return to free agency and market himself as a versatile depth piece, hoping to find a new club before the end of the month.

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Texas Rangers Transactions Josh Harrison

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Rangers Sign Josh Harrison To Minor League Contract

By Steve Adams | August 15, 2023 at 11:18am CDT

The Rangers have signed veteran utilityman Josh Harrison to a minor league contract, per an announcement from his agents at MSM Sports. He’ll head to Triple-A Round Rock and primarily work as a third baseman and second baseman there.

Harrison, a veteran of 13 big league seasons, opened the year in Philadelphia but was designated for assignment and released earlier this month after batting .204/.263/.291 in 114 plate appearances. It was a rough showing, to be sure, but it also came in a relatively small sample. In the three seasons prior, Harrison combined for a .270/.332/.390 batting line over the life of 1074 plate appearances between the Nats, A’s and White Sox. That 2020-22 production falls neatly in line with Harrison’s career .270/.316/.396 batting line in 4347 trips to the plate.

Now 36 years old, Harrison is a two-time All-Star who’s well versed at a number of spots on the diamond. Second base has been his most frequent position (5081 big league innings), but he’s also spent ample time at third base (2331 innings), in right field (493 innings), in left field (487 innings) and at shortstop (265 innings) in addition to brief cameos at first base and in center field. Defensive metrics have generally viewed his glovework at second base and the hot corner quite favorably.

Harrison isn’t likely to suddenly recapture his peak form — he hit .315/.347/.390 back in 2014 — but he’s a capable, versatile defender who still makes contact at an above-average rate. The Rangers recently lost Rookie of the Year candidate Josh Jung to thumb surgery that puts the remainder his season in jeopardy, and while fellow youngster Ezequiel Duran gives them a quality substitute, Harrison can provide additional depth in the event of further injuries on the big league roster.

The Phillies are on the hook for what’s left of Harrison’s $2MM salary anyhow, so the Rangers would only owe him the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the big league roster. If the Rangers want to add a veteran for the final month of the season, they can select Harrison to the big league roster on Sept. 1, when rosters expand from 26 to 28 players. Because he’s joining the organization before Sept. 1, he’d be postseason-eligible as well — if he performs well enough in his new environs to warrant such consideration.

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Texas Rangers Transactions Josh Harrison

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Phillies Designate Andrew Vasquez, Release Josh Harrison

By Darragh McDonald | August 2, 2023 at 3:40pm CDT

The Phillies announced a series of roster moves today, adding infielder Rodolfo Castro and right-hander Michael Lorenzen to the roster, both of whom were acquired in trades yesterday. To open one roster spot, Josh Harrison was designated for assignment, as reported yesterday. He has now been released. The other spot was opened by left-hander Andrew Vasquez being designated for assignment.

Vasquez, 29, came to the Phillies in the offseason when they claimed him off waivers from the Giants. He is out of options but has managed to stick on the active roster for the entire season up until now. He’s tossed 39 2/3 innings over 30 appearances with a 2.27 ERA.

On the surface, that makes it somewhat surprising that he’s now lost his roster spot, but the numbers under the hood aren’t quite as impressive. His 8.2% walk rate and 43% ground ball rate are pretty close to league average, but his 20% strikeout rate is a few ticks below. He’s benefitted from a .274 batting average on balls in play and 86.8% strand rate, both of which are on the lucky side, leading to a 4.31 FIP and 4.29 SIERA.

The Phillies were apparently expecting some regression and have bumped him off the roster. Since he’s out of options and the trade deadline has passed, that left them little choice but to designate him for assignment and try to pass him through waivers. In the event he clears, he will have the right to elect free agency since he has a previous career outright. Despite his out-of-options status, he could garner interest from a club with more ability to keep him on the active roster. He has a career 3.60 ERA in 52 appearances and comes with five seasons of control beyond the current campaign.

As for Harrison, he’s making a $2MM salary this year and has played poorly, hitting just .204/.263/.291. He wasn’t going to be claimed off waivers and has more than enough service time to reject an outright assignment while retaining all of his salary. That means his return to the open market was inevitable and the Phils have simply skipped the formalities. He’ll be free to sign with the other 29 clubs for the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the roster, with that amount subtracted from what the Phillies pay.

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Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Andrew Vasquez Josh Harrison Michael Lorenzen Rodolfo Castro

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Phillies Designate Josh Harrison For Assignment

By Mark Polishuk | August 1, 2023 at 2:59pm CDT

The Phillies announced that veteran utilityman Josh Harrison has been designated for assignment.  The move opens up roster space for Michael Lorenzen, whose acquisition from the Tigers is now official.

Harrison signed a one-year, $2MM free agent deal with Philadelphia last winter, as the club looked to shore up its bench depth and provide a bit more veteran experience behind Bryson Stott at second base.  However, playing time was relatively scarce for Harrison, as Stott has established himself at the keystone, and Edmundo Sosa has gotten the bigger chunk of playing time at third base when Alec Bohm was moved over to first.

Harrison also didn’t do a lot to carve out a greater role for himself, hitting only .204/.263/.291 over 114 plate appearances.  His career splits have already been relatively even, but the right-handed batter had only a .433 OPS over 60 PA against left-handed pitching this season.  Harrison has played only a handful of games in the outfield in recent years, but his lack of production against lefties is one reason the Phillies have been looking to add right-handed hitting pop to their outfield as the deadline approaches.

Given how rosters shake out in the deadline aftermath, Harrison might be a candidate for a DFA claim, perhaps on a non-contender just looking for a player to fill a roster hole.  Perhaps the likelier scenario is that Harrison clears waivers, putting the Phillies on the hook for the remainder of his owed salary — a team could sign Harrison and owe him only the prorated MLB minimum salary.

Bryce Harper’s ability to play first base has given the Phillies some flexibility with their infield picture, as while Harper will need some DH days, Philadelphia can settle into a regular alignment of Harper at first, Stott at second, Trea Turner at shortstop, Bohm at third, and Sosa as a utilityman.  The Phils also have Kody Clemens and Drew Ellis in the minors for further depth, and perhaps another new face could join the roster between now and 5pm CT.

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Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Josh Harrison

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Phillies Promote Johan Rojas

By Darragh McDonald | July 14, 2023 at 10:30am CDT

10:30am: The Phils have now announced the moves, listing Pache’s injury as right elbow irritation. His IL placement is retroactive to July 11.

9:20am: The Phillies are going to promote outfielder Johan Rojas to the major leagues, as first reported by Mike Rodriguez. The move is also relayed by Matt Gelb of The Athletic, who adds that outfielder Cristian Pache seems to be heading to the injured list. He also adds that Drew Ellis will take the roster spot of Josh Harrison, who was placed on the injured list during the All-Star break due to a right wrist contusion. Rojas is already on the 40-man roster but will be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game.

Rojas, 22, was part of the Phillies’ 2017-2018 international signing class and ascended to the radar of prospect evaluators in the years that followed. Baseball America ranked him the club’s #11 prospect in 2020 and he’s been in the top 10 in each season since. His speed and defense are considered his standout traits, and he has showcased those wheels by stealing 159 bases in 430 minor league games thus far in his career. Defensively, he’s mostly played center field but has also slotted into a corner on occasion.

His offense, however, has generally been considered a bit behind those traits.  In 2021, he hit .262/.329/.417 in the lower levels of the farm system for a wRC+ of 102. Last year, he split his time between High-A and Double-A, slashing just .244/.309/.354 for a wRC+ of 83. Despite those tepid results at the plate, the Phils liked the overall package enough that they didn’t want to risk losing him in the Rule 5 draft and thus added him to their roster in November.

The Phils returned him to Double-A this year and the results have been far more encouraging, as he’s hit .306/.361/.484 for a wRC+ of 129, stealing 30 bases in the process. That strong showing will get him a shot in the big leagues, jumping right over the Triple-A level.

The club could have recalled more experienced players on their roster such as Jake Cave or Simón Muzziotti, both of whom are on the 40-man roster, currently in Triple-A and have already been to the big leagues. But it’s possible that this promotion is for a part-time role that suits the skill set of Rojas. The club generally has an outfield of Brandon Marsh, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos on most days. Perhaps Rojas will take over Pache’s role, taking the occasional start in center while also serving as a defensive replacement or pinch runner.

The exact nature of Pache’s injury isn’t known, as Gelb only reports that it is minor. His upcoming placement on the IL can be backdated due to the recent All-Star break, so it’s possible that Rojas gets a brief taste of the major leagues before heading back down to the farm.

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Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Cristian​ Pache Drew Ellis Johan Rojas Josh Harrison

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NL East Notes: Scherzer, Soroka, Song, Phillies

By Darragh McDonald | February 22, 2023 at 1:43pm CDT

Max Scherzer’s three-year deal with the Mets is now one-third of the way complete and will afford him the ability to opt out at the end of the upcoming season. Andy Martino of SNY asked Scherzer about that forthcoming choice and the pitcher was fairly noncommittal about it, complimenting the direction of the organization but also acknowledging the business aspect of things.

“You have to understand the context of why I negotiated that in, and the context of where we’re at now,” Scherzer said, before elaborating that he didn’t know what to expect from the club if Jacob deGrom triggered his own opt-out at the end of 2022. “It was, if Jake opts out, you didn’t know what was going to happen. You didn’t know where the Mets would be as an organization. A big draw for me to come to New York was to get the chance to pitch with him, and here he has an opt out in year one. If he did take it and go somewhere else, what is the organization going to do?” After a chuckle, he said, “I got an answer.” Of course, he now knows that owner Steve Cohen was willing to spend lavishly on free agents, ramping the club’s payroll to the top of the league in order to field a competitive team for 2023.

That response from Scherzer stands in contrast to that of deGrom, who was quite clear at this time last year that his plan was to trigger his opt-out. It’s been a similar story lately with Padres third baseman Manny Machado, who’s openly declared his intention to opt out of his deal this fall. The fact that Scherzer isn’t quite so emphatic is perhaps somewhat hopeful for Mets fans, but it could also come down to a business decision, something Scherzer acknowledged as well. “If it becomes a business situation, we will cross that bridge at a different time,” he added. “At the end of the year, that will get taken care of … I’m not thinking about it. Obviously, you go through six months of the baseball season, anything can change. So it’s not even worth it to comment on whether I’m going to use it or not.”

If Scherzer has another typical ace season, he would be facing an interesting decision from a business perspective. He will turn 39 years old in July and be deciding whether or not to leave $43.33MM on the table and become a free agent again. That’s a lot of money to turn down for a player that age, but his now-teammate Justin Verlander secured himself a two-year, $86.66MM guarantee going into his age-40 season, the same average annual value. With that in mind, Scherzer might actually leave more money on the table by not triggering his opt-out. If he were to decide to depart, the Mets would be losing two members of its current rotation, as Carlos Carrasco is in the final year of his contract.

Some other notes from around the National League East…

  • Braves right-hander Michael Soroka is dealing with a sore hamstring that will prevent him from taking the mound for about a week and from appearing in spring games for a few weeks. “It’s a kick in the groin,” Soroka said to David O’Brien of The Athletic about the setback. “Pretty frustrating, especially given the early offseason for me, just to be able to get ready for this spring training. Then coming down with that was not fun. But that’s how it goes, and we’ll be moving forward here pretty shortly.” Soroka has been significantly impeded by injuries in recent years, with his 2020 cut short after three starts due to a torn right Achilles. The recovery has been quite arduous, involving three surgeries as he missed the past two seasons entirely. This latest issue doesn’t seem to be huge, but it’s understandably frustrating that there’s yet another hurdle to clear. In 2019, Soroka made 29 starts with a 2.68 ERA over 174 2/3 innings. He figured to compete with Ian Anderson for the club’s fifth starter spot this year but he might have to play a bit of catch-up whenever he’s healthy. He does still have an option year remaining, should he need more time in the minors to get stretched out after this delay.
  • The Phillies informed reporters, including Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, that right-hander Noah Song has been discharged from the Navy and is expected to be in camp tomorrow. (EDIT: The club later clarified Song has not been discharged, but was transferred from active duty to selective reserves, which allows him to play baseball. Twitter link from Matt Gelb of The Athletic.) Song, 26 in May, was drafted by the Red Sox in 2019 but his baseball career was put on hold when the Department of Defense ordered the United States Naval Academy graduate to report to flight school. He was left unprotected in the most recent Rule 5 draft and was selected by the Phillies, whose president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was with the Red Sox at the time Song was first drafted. Some considered him a first-round talent back then, though he lingered until the fourth round due to concerns around that military commitment. This will now be an interesting and unusual experiment, as Song still hasn’t pitched professionally since a stint at Low-A in 2019. He was quite good at that time, posting a 1.06 ERA over seven starts but will now be jumping straight to the majors. As a Rule 5 draftee, he will have to stick on the active roster all season or put on waivers and then offered back to the Sox if he clears. The Phils could also pursue trades, though any acquiring team would face the same roster restrictions as the Phils themselves currently face. Song is currently on the military list and isn’t taking up a spot on the 40-man roster, with Gelb relaying that he will have to be added by Opening Day.
  • Sticking with the Phillies, they will be navigating an open designated hitter slot until Bryce Harper returns from Tommy John surgery. The most recent estimate on that timeline has Harper returning around the All-Star break in July, giving the club a span of over three months to navigate. It seems the plan is to not have any single player entrenched in the spot and spread those opportunities around. “At this point, I think it’s a rotation,” manager Rob Thomson tells Gelb. “Getting people off their feet. Giving them a half day, so to speak.” In order to shuffle different players through there, positional versatility will be key. It was previously reported that infielder Edmundo Sosa will be getting some work in center field in order to increase his chances of getting playing time. Thomson also highlighted Josh Harrison as someone who could also see extensive action, given his ability to play all multiple positions. He’s played every position except catcher in his career, though he’s spent more time at second and third base than anywhere else. Thomson also mentioned the bat of Darick Hall, who hit nine home runs in his first 42 major league games last year. He’s been almost exclusively a first baseman in his professional career but the club is considering getting him some outfield work to help his bat into the lineup. “If he swings the bat the way he did last year,” Thomson said, “it’s going to be tough to keep him off the club.”
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Atlanta Braves New York Mets Notes Philadelphia Phillies Darick Hall Josh Harrison Max Scherzer Michael Soroka Mike Soroka Noah Song

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Phillies Sign Josh Harrison

By Drew Silva | January 29, 2023 at 11:03pm CDT

The Phillies have signed utilityman Josh Harrison to a one-year, $2MM deal, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports (Twitter link).  MSM Sports, Harrison’s agency, has also announced the news.

The versatile 35-year-old batted .256/.317/.370 with seven home runs and two stolen bases in 119 games last season for the White Sox while appearing defensively at second base, third base, shortstop, left field, and even a few mop-up relief pitching appearances. The big majority of Harrison’s playing time was at second base, which has been his primary position over 12 Major League seasons. He still drew above-average grades from Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average at the position (and at third base) during his time in Chicago last season.

Harrison has suited up for five different teams over those 12 seasons, though he was formerly a member of the Phillies organization without ever seeing any action on the field.  Philadelphia inked Harrison to a minor league deal during the 2019-20 offseason, but he was released just prior to the start of the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

With a guaranteed MLB deal in hand, Harrison can presumably be plugged onto the Opening Day roster in Philadelphia as an option off the bench, joining Edmundo Sosa and Dalton Guthrie as position-player depth. Bryson Stott is the projected starter at second base for the reigning NL champions and Alec Bohm has stated an impressive case that he can be the long-term answer at third.

Former starting second baseman Jean Segura is gone to the Marlins in free agency, so Harrison represents some veteran infield depth behind Stott and Bohm. Stott is the less-established of the two, and while he played better later in his rookie season and saw starting duties for the Phillies in the playoffs, Stott batted a modest .234/.295/.358 over 446 PA in the regular season.

Harrison’s right-handed bat could complement the left-handed hitting Kyle Schwarber for some left field playing time. Since the Phillies’ lineup won’t truly be whole until Bryce Harper makes his midseason return from Tommy John surgery, Harrison gives the team another experienced bat to utilize in the interim.

Harrison’s $2MM salary is modest by MLB standards, but it’s not without some implications for the Phillies. As a luxury tax payor for the second straight season, the Phils were on the hook for a  30% tax  for the first $20MM by which they exceed the $233MM tax threshold. Harrison actually bumps them into the second tier, per Roster Resource, landing them at $254.85MM. They’d previously been just below the $253MM cutoff point for tier two. Harrison will cost the club about $800K in taxes, and the Phillies will be taxed at a 42% rate for every dollar added to the payroll up until $273MM, at which point the tax hit would jump to 75%.

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