Phillies designate Noah Song for assignment

The Philadelphia Phillies have designated RHP Noah Song for assignment, they announced Saturday afternoon.

The Phillies, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, have until the 6 p.m. EST trade deadline on Tuesday to deal Song to another team. If he’s not traded, the Phillies will ask for waivers on Wednesday. If he clears, and the expectation is that he won’t, the Phillies must offer him back to the Boston Red Sox.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Song was selected in the fourth round by the Red Sox in the 2019 MLB Draft. He was regarded as one of the top college pitchers available, but teams passed on the flame-throwing righty due to military service obligations. He posted a 1.06 ERA in the New York-Penn League, but left baseball at the end of 2019 and became a Naval Flight Officer.

While living in Jacksonville, Fla. and preparing for his first overseas deployment, Song was selected in the Rule 5 by the Phillies. Two months later, he was notified that he could resume his baseball career as his service was transferred from active duty to reserves. He reported to Phillies spring training to begin a grueling journey back. Throwing off the mound again was “rough.”

“I think I want to manage expectations, really,” Song said in Febuary. “I don’t really necessarily know what my future or ceiling might be. Just trying to figure out what the new one is, I guess.”

Song opened the season on the 60-day injured list with a low back strain. He began a rehab assignment with Low-A Clearwater on June 28 and pitched for three Phillies minor league affiliates within his 30-day rehab clock.

Between Single-A Clearwater, Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Song went 1-0 with a 7.36 ERA in eight outings, which spanned 11 innings. In his most recent outing for the IronPigs on Wednesday, Song walked three, allowed three hits and gave up five earned runs over an 1 1/3 innings pitched, likely ending the chances of the Phillies promoting him.

It ultimately came down to Song not having enough time to build back up and the Phillies finding the prospect of hiding Song on the 26-man roster for two months untenable.

Tim Kelly contributed to this story.

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