Phillies Sign Utility INF T.J. Rivera to Minor-League Deal
By Matt Rappa
The Phillies have reportedly signed utility infielder T.J. Rivera, who appeared in the 2016 postseason with the Mets, to a minor-league contract.
Another once-New York major leaguer has joined the Philadelphia Phillies, along with manager Joe Girardi, director of amateur scouting Brian Barber, shortstop Didi Gregorius and right-handed starting pitcher Zack Wheeler.
On Sunday, the Phillies signed former New York Mets utility infielder T.J. Rivera to a minor-league contract, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. It is presumed the contract includes an invitation to major-league spring training.
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Rivera, 31, logged 106 games with the Mets across the 2016 and 2017 seasons; he slashed .304/.335/.445 with 17 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 434 RBI, 12 walks and 49 strikeouts spanning 344 plate appearances.
In the field, the Bronx, New York, native played first base, second base, third base, and even left field; he has a perfect career fielding percentage at second across 114 chances in 246 1/3 innings, but has struggled at third base, having committed eight errors across 81 chances and 256 innings.
Rivera joins fellow Phillies minor-league utility infield signee Josh Harrison; both will compete for the Phillies’ 26 roster spot this spring training.
Since last playing in the majors in 2017, Rivera has played in the minor-league systems for the Mets (2018) and World Series champion Washington Nationals (2019). The Nationals signed him in early August to a minor-league contract after he had been playing independent ball since his spring training release from the Mets.
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Similar to Gregorius and Wheeler, Rivera has undergone Tommy John surgery, thus being one of the reasons why he has yet to return to the majors since 2017. He logged four plate appearances in the 2016 National League Wild Card Game, starting at second base and batting fifth. He went 1-for-4 with a double in the Mets’ loss to the San Francisco Giants.