The Phillies made a roster move last week that left one infielder’s future with the team in question. After going unclaimed on waivers, he had the choice to accept an outright assignment or explore free agency. Instead of immediately committing to either path, he opted for free agency—but didn’t remain on the open market for long. Ultimately, he re-signed with Philadelphia on a minor league deal and will now report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
That player is Buddy Kennedy, who originally joined the Phillies last June in a DFA trade with the Tigers. He had a brief stint in the majors, appearing in eight games and recording two hits in 11 at-bats with a pair of walks. However, he was much more productive in Triple-A, where he slashed .294/.400/.500 with 10 home runs and nearly as many walks as strikeouts over 67 games. Despite holding onto a 40-man roster spot all winter, he entered spring training with uncertainty, needing to either make the team or clear waivers.
Kennedy struggled during spring action, hitting just .150 over 22 exhibition games. Though he connected on three home runs and maintained a respectable 10:12 walk-to-strikeout ratio, he managed only six hits in 40 at-bats. As a result, the Phillies decided to keep Edmundo Sosa and Kody Clemens—both also out of options—as their backup infielders.
With no major league team willing to claim him, Kennedy exercised his right to elect free agency, as this was his second career outright. However, his return to the Phillies suggests his new minor league deal may include better salary terms or potential opt-out clauses. The former fifth-round pick will now continue his career in Triple-A, where he has posted a solid .281/.392/.435 line over 300 games.
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