There is a lot of speculation regarding how the Philadelphia Phillies will spend the remainder of their summer.
They haven’t made any major moves since having Aaron Nola back.
The Phillies are still linked to some of the biggest names on the market, with them being considered as a team that may take advantage if the price tags of these players fall.
Cody Bellinger was one of those names, but it appears unlikely that he would fit into the current roster structure.
While the big names were being talked, Philadelphia added infielder Diego Castillo after claiming him off waivers from the New York Yankees, according to the team’s social media website.
The 26-year-old has been shuffled around a lot this winter after being assigned, claimed, and then designated for assignment again.
Castillo made his Major League debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022, when he played 96 games and slashed.206/.251/.382, 11 home runs, 29 RBI.
He was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks before last season, but he only played in one MLB game for them.
The Diamondbacks DFA’d him, and the New York Mets claimed him before DFA’ing him after signing Sean Manaea. The Yankees then claimed him but released him ten days later.
The Phillies have now added him to their 40-man roster, filling it altogether. If Philadelphia makes another move this offseason, they will need to clear space for their new addition.
If the front management does not pursue another free agent, Castillo may remain with the organization as a depth piece in Triple-A to be on standby in the event of injury.
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On Monday, another young great player, Bobby Witt Jr., signed an 11-year contract with the Royals. While we await the final elite free agents, the relief market has been the most active of any position this winter. The Mariners added another excellent reliever to their roster by acquiring Gregory Santos from the White Sox. The Yankees also completed a trade with the Dodgers to improve their bullpen, acquiring Caleb Ferguson. Let’s break everything down.
Royals sign Bobby Witt Jr. to an 11-year, $288.7 million contract.
Bobby Witt Jr. has signed an 11-year, $288.7 million contract deal with the Royals, securing his position as their standout shortstop for the next decade. It’s the franchise’s richest contract ever, tying the 23-year-old superstar to the team until his 34th season. The contract does have opt-out clauses after each of the following four seasons, as well as a club option for three more years and $89 million, for a total potential value of $377 million. Witt Jr. had an outstanding season, hitting.276/.319/.495 with 30 homers, 97 runs, 96 RBI, and 49 steals in 694 plate appearances.
After going 20/30 with a.254 batting average as a rookie in 2022, his worth as a first-round hitter in rotisserie leagues was dependent on him improving his power and batting average. In his second season, he completely broke out, increasing across the board for outstanding five-category output. Witt Jr. made more contact, chased fewer pitches, and struck the ball harder. While his almost 700 plate appearances assisted his season output, his 17.4 percent strikeout, 11.5 percent barrel, and 45.4 percent hard-hit rates support the production and hint at additional batting average possibility, cementing Witt Jr. as a top-three pick in most fantasy formats.
Ankees acquire Caleb Ferguson from the Dodgers
New York traded prospects Matt Gage and Christian Zazueta to the Dodgers in exchange for Ferguson, who has one year of team control before becoming a free agent next winter. He is the Yankees’ second left-handed reliever acquired from the Dodgers following the trade for Victor Gonzalez earlier this offseason. Over 60 1/3 innings, the 27-year-old southpaw posted a 3.43 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and 70/23 K/BB ratio. A.364 BABIP boosted his hit rate and increased his WHIP. However, he was able to limit the damage with a 25.9 percent strikeout rate and 49.1 percent ground ball rate, allowing only five barrelled balls all season.
The Dodgers relied on Ferguson in critical situations, as he earned three saves and seven wins for Los Angeles. He is effective against both left-handed and right-handed hitters and should play a significant part in the Yankees’ middle relief rotation. To clear a space on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers signed Ryan Brasier to a two-year, $9 million contract. Brasier was released by the Red Sox last season and signed with Los Angeles in June. He had a 0.70 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and a 38/10 K/BB ratio in 38 2/3 innings with the team last season. The 36-year-old right-hander provides depth in the middle innings.
The Mariners traded for Gregory Santos.
The Mariners appear to constantly develop quality relievers. This time, they got one from the White Sox by trading prospects Perlander Berroa and Zach DeLoach to Chicago for Gregory Santos. Over 66 1/3 innings, the 24-year-old right-hander has a 3.39 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 66/17 K/BB ratio, while also converting five saves. Santos performed admirably as a reliever, with a 98-mile-per-hour fastball, a 5.9 percent walk rate, and a 13.4 percent swinging strike rate. With that velocity and swing-and-miss stuff, the Mariners will undoubtedly aim to get more strikeouts from Santos. Most latest reports indicated he may not be ready for the start of training camp after concluding the season with elbow soreness.
When healthy, he will likely be ranked third behind Andrés Muñoz and Matt Brash.
Berroa appears to be an intriguing prospect for the White Sox. The 23-year-old right-hander boasts impressive swing-and-miss ability, but control concerns sent him to the bullpen. He had a 2.89 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 101/39 K/BB ratio in 65 1/3 innings in Double-A last season before making his Mariners debut, striking out three batters in 1 2/3 shutout frames.
If Berroa can increase his walk rate, he has the potential to be a closer. Meanwhile, DeLoach adds another outfielder to his roster in Chicago. Last season, the 25-year-old hit 23 home runs with a.868 OPS in Triple-A while striking out 27.8 percent of the time. He’ll need to make more contact to make an impact in the major leagues.
