Phillies news and rumors 6/9: One former Phillie finds new home, another returns

Didi Gregorius has signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

Former Phillie Didi Gregorius is parlaying an excellent stretch of hitting in the Mexican League into a minor league deal.

He has signed a contract with the Seattle Mariners, per an announcement made by his Mexican League team Algodoneros de Unión Laguna.

Gregorius, 33, slashed .359/.431/.777 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs across 26 games as the starting shortstop for Unión Laguna in 2023.

His last appearance in MLB came on August 3, 2022. Gregorius ended the year with a .210/.263/.304 slash line with one home run and 19 RBIs in 63 games. He was designated for assignment shortly after the trade deadline to make room on the roster for Jean Segura, who was coming off the 60-day injured list.

Speaking of former Phillies, the club has re-signed a former member of the 2018 bullpen.

Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports that the Phillies have signed right-handed pitcher Drew Hutchinson to a minor league contract. Hutchinson will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

He posted a 4.53 ERA across 105 1/3 innings with the Tigers as both a starter and a reliever. Hutchinson spent the first two months of the season in Triple A with the Blue Jays. He posted a 5.66 ERA with the Buffalo Bisons, working primarily as a starter.

He could be a bulk relief option for the Phillies moving forward.

Kody’s revenge

Former Tiger Kody Clemens gave a polite response when asked if it feels extra special to have your first career walk-off hit come against the team that traded you.

“I have no ill will against the Tigers, but it does feel pretty good after they trade you away and you end the game,” Clemens said.

Clemens’ season so far is why it’s so hard to prognosticate in baseball. Nobody expected him to have a somewhat regular role on the Phillies, but with Rhys Hoskins and Darick Hall both out with injuries, Clemens has hit his way into the picture.

He has a .297/.357/.484 slash line over his last 70 plate appearances.

“Obviously, you don’t like to see the injuries that happened in spring and earlier in the year,” Clemens said. “But it got me an opportunity to come up here and try to help this team win. And I finally got an opportunity and it’s been great so far.”

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Here’s the latest on what happened to the Phillies Phestival, a long-standing event held annually to raise money for ALS.
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The Mets are Metsing.

Former Phillies Nation

Here’s one of the more bizarre Phillies-related leaks. Former Phillies manager Joe Girardi was offered the head coaching job at the University of Central Florida. A few hours later, word came out that Girardi declined the position.
Ahead of the Phillies-Dodgers series, struggling starter Noah Syndergaard is going on the injured list with a blister. He has a 7.16 ERA in 12 starts.
The Phillies are presenting Mark Appel with his 2021 National League championship ring before Friday’s game.
Remember 2021 Phillies No. 5 starter Chase Anderson? He has a 1.69 ERA over 26 2/3 innings this season. He made a spot start for the Rays earlier this year and is now pitching for the Colorado Rockies. He had a 6.75 ERA with the Phillies in 2021.