The Phillies have finally made their first free-agent signing of the offseason.
They have brought back infielder Ronald Torreyes on a minor-league deal, according to Jon Heyman of RADIO.COM. He will most likely compete for one of the final roster spots during spring training.
Torreyes, 28, was signed to a minor-league deal last January. After losing out to Phil Gosselin and Neil Walker for a spot on the Phillies bench during summer camp, Torreyes reported to the alternate site in Lehigh Valley. His contract was selected on Sept 11 after Walker was designated for assignment.
He appeared in four games for the Phillies in Miami in 2020 and went 1-for-7 with a double and a run scored. Torreyes played center field, shortstop and second base during the series. He was designated for assignment on Sept 15 and reported back to the alternate site after he cleared waivers.
While pressed against the luxury tax with an ownership group unwilling to go over, Matt Klentak and the front office decided to bring in a handful of veterans on minor-league deals with an invite to spring training to compete for spots on the major-league roster last spring. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a slew of these signings again over the next few weeks as the Phillies look to both cut payroll and add depth.