Phillies Re-Sign Blake Parker, Retain Trevor Kelley
The Phillies have increased their spring roster to 69 by respectively re-signing and retaining right-handed relievers Blake Parker and Trevor Kelley.
The Philadelphia Phillies, under new manager Joe Girardi, will surely look at all aspects of the team this spring training to make sure their 26-man roster is the best possible version of itself that it can be come Opening Day on March 26.
Yet, it appears their sights will be more set on their pitching depth rather than hitting.
On Wednesday, among their slew of announced moves that included designating RHP JD Hammer for assignment to make room for RHP Deolis Guerra, claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers, the team also added two more right-handed relievers to their spring training roster on minor-league deals:
The Phillies re-signed RHP Blake Parker, and retained RHP Trevor Kelley, who cleared waivers after being previously designated for assignment to make room for the recently claimed RHP Reggie McClain. Also, the previously reported minor-league deals of infielder Logan Forsythe and RHP Anthony Swarzak were made official.
Now, the Phillies will have 69 players report to big-league camp. Thirty-nine of them will be pitchers, including Guerra and McClain on major-league deals, as well as Parker and Kelley on minor-league pacts. Hammer could soon join them to make the roster size an even 70, assuming he clears waivers and is invited.
Parker had been among the two-dozen Phillies from the 2019 major-league roster not retained for the 2020 season under Girardi. That number decreases to 23, as the Phillies still see some value in the seven-year veteran that, in 23 relief appearances last season in red pinstripes, posted a 5.04 ERA, 31-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 1.000 WHIP spanning 25 innings.
The Phillies originally claimed Kelley off waivers from the Boston Red Sox in early December, and designated him almost exactly two months later to make room for McClain. He remains in the Phillies’ system on a minors deal, although he could still see some major-league action at some point in the new season. Last year for the Red Sox, Kelley went 0-3 with an 8.64 ERA, 6-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.680 WHIP through 10 appearances and 8 1/3 innings.