Categories: Phillies Beat with Destiny Lugardo

Random 2022 Phillies who will probably receive National League championship rings

Vinny Nittoli threw two scoreless innings with the Phillies this season. (Don Otto)

World Series runner-ups receive rings for winning a pennant. Even though the Phillies came up short in the World Series, most can agree that this season — and what the Phillies accomplished in October — should be celebrated.

Teams get to decide who receives one but for the most part, every player who was on the Phillies roster during the regular season and postseason gets a nice souvenir to put in their trophy case.

Fifty-nine players appeared on the Phillies’ active roster in 2022. All had their moment — even if it was fleeting. You might not remember all of these names, but here are a few random players who can say they were once part of the 2022 National League champion Phillies.

LHP Jeff Singer

Reliever Corey Knebel landed on the COVID-19 injured list for a day during the first week of the season and the Phillies needed a reliever to take his spot. Singer, who was born in Philadelphia and grew up in South Jersey, was added to the active roster and designated for assignment the next day.

He did not appear in the game, but he had fun being a big leaguer for a day. A handful of family and friends got to sit in the stands and see Singer wear the red pinstripes.

“It’s a day I’m never going to forget. It was everything I wanted it to be,” Singer told reporters after an April 12 game against the Mets.

RHP Vinny Nittoli

The Phillies needed a pitcher ahead of the postseason-eligibility roster deadline at the end of August. Even though the trade deadline passed weeks ago, they were able to trade for Blue Jays minor league pitcher Vinny Nittoli since he did not appear on a major league roster that season.

He looked good in his two scoreless appearances with the Phillies in September. Nittoli could compete for a spot in the bullpen out of spring training if the Phillies decide to keep him on the 40-man roster.

INF Scott Kingery

2023 is the final guaranteed season of Scott Kingery’s six-year, $24 million contract extension. He made $6 million in 2022 while mostly playing in the minor leagues with the IronPigs, but it’s easy to forget that Kingery was on the Phillies active roster for a brief period of time.

He was called up to the Phillies on June 7 and was a defensive replacement at second base in a 10-0 blowout against the Brewers on June 8. Kingery was outrighted to the minors two days later. He’s a National League champion, but it has to be a little bittersweet for him since he was supposed to be a key part of the next great Phillies team.

OF Bradley Zimmer

Bradley Zimmer hit the waiver wire at the right time. Brandon Marsh went down with an ankle injury and the Phillies needed someone who can play center field at a high level. Zimmer, who was claimed off waivers from Toronto, went 4-for-16 in nine games, but made a few highlight real plays and was an excellent baserunner.

The Phillies designated him for assignment when Marsh returned and was reclaimed by the Jays.

OF Oscar Mercado

It’s silly to think that people began to draw conclusions on how long Bryce Harper was going to be out when they claimed outfielder Oscar Mercado off waivers from the Guardians on June 27.

He had one plate appearance for the Phillies, a strikeout, before being designated for assignment again to make room on the active roster for Bailey Falter. Like Zimmer, Mercado was reclaimed by his original team.

C Donny Sands

Who knows what the future holds for Donny Sands in the catching-rich Phillies organization, but the club added him when rosters expanded in September after a good offensive season at Triple A. It’s pretty cool that he can say he was a part of a pennant winner.

If you’re not familiar with his story, Sands’ father passed away in 2012 and he was homeless for seven months as a teenager. He plays to give back to his mother, who he credits as his inspiration. A National League championship ring makes a nice gift.

RHP Chris Devenski

Chris Devenski never made the postseason roster, but he was around the club in just about every series as a taxi squad member. His time in Philadelphia won’t be remembered, but he’s in all of the celebrartory team photos by the mound.

And he’ll get an NL championship ring. The 31-year-old veteran was signed to a minor league contract at the end of August and appeared in three games for the Phillies in 2022. His contract was selected when Brad Hand went on the 10-day injured list on September 25. Devenski, who won the World Series with Houston in his All-Star season in 2017, has signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

INF Will Toffey, RHP Bubby Rossman and RHP Nick Duron

With the Phillies having four unvaccinated players who could not make a mid-July trip to Toronto, the club recalled catcher Rafael Marchan and added infielder Will Toffey and right handed pitchers Bubby Rossman and Nick Duron to the active roster as substitues. There was some credible speculation that the Phillies could use one of their top pitching prospects to fill the holes on the roster, but Mick Abel and Griff McGarry dealt with injuries at the time and Andrew Painter was just a teenager who had yet to spend a full season in professional baseball.

Instead, the Phillies gave a trio of minor league veterans a taste of the big leagues. Toffey did not appear in a game for the Phillies, but Duron and Rossman both made an appearance in a Jays blowout on July 13. Duron pitched a scoreless inning and Rossman, a former Indy ball pitcher, allowed two runs.