In early August, the Tampa Bay Rays designated outfielder Brett Phillips for assignment.
He ended up on the Baltimore Orioles roster, an exciting opportunity for him given he could be, against all odds, a part of a postseason race.
Unfortunately for him, the O’s also decided to move on from him.
“Former #Rays OF Brett Phillips was DFA’d today by #Orioles,” Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted on Friday afternoon.
Former #Rays OF Brett Phillips was DFA’d today by #Orioles
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 19, 2022
It’s the second time in August that a team decided to let Phillips go.
The issue with Phillies is his lousy offense.
With the Orioles, he went 2-for-17.
He has hit .144 overall in 2022, with 22 runs, five home runs, 15 RBI, seven thefts, and a poor .466 OPS.
Phillips Will Need To Improve His Offensive Numbers
Those numbers aren’t going to cut it: there are several part-time outfielders on each team that can offer more offensive upside.
The trait that can help Phillips get a spot somewhere is his defense.
He is capable of playing a very good center field, and that’s something that not every team has.
He is also speedy, and has postseason experience, all valuable attributes for a contender.
He is also a known clubhouse darling and one of the funniest guys in baseball: he will likely help promote a healthy, fun-loving environment to any clubhouse.
As a hitter, though, he has a career 71 wRC+, whereas the league average is 100: it means he has been well-below average.
Last season, he showcased some of his power-speed combo, with 13 homers and 14 stolen bases, but it came with a .206 average.
Hopefully, Phillips can find a team quickly so he can keep playing in MLB.
