Phillies May Reunite with Right-Handed Reliever Tommy Hunter

The Phillies “may end up” adding a 40th pitcher to their spring roster, right-hander Tommy Hunter, who has 70 career relief appearances in red pinstripes.

The Philadelphia Phillies may have invited 69 players, 39 of whom are pitchers, to spring training, yet that might not stopping them from bringing on at least one more.

On Friday, amid “Truck Day” with just days before pitchers and catchers hold their first workout, NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury reported that he is “hearing rumblings” that free-agent, right-handed reliever Tommy Hunter “may end up in Phillies camp.”

RELATED | How concerned should Phillies be about Tommy Hunter?

Hunter, 33, has donned red pinstripes in each of the last two seasons, however he was limited to just five outings in 2019 before needing season-ending flexor tendon surgery in July.

If the Phillies do re-sign the 12-year veteran, it likely would be on a minor-league deal.

Through 70 relief appearances with the Phillies, Hunter has combined for a 5-4 record, 3.50 ERA, 1.183 WHIP, and 56-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio spanning 69 1/3 innings. In addition, he has surrendered just six home runs, and has logged 11 games finished and four saves.

RELATED | Phillies: 24 Departed Players from 2019 Major League Roster

In his career, Hunter has also played for the Texas Rangers (2008-11), Baltimore Orioles (2011-15, 2016), Chicago Cubs (2015), Cleveland Indians (2016), and Tampa Bay Rays (2017).

As a starter in 2010, Hunter posted an American League-best .765 winning percentage spanning 23 games. Two years later, however, he surrendered the fifth-most home runs in the American League (32).

If Hunter were to be invited to spring training, he would have to compete with several right-handed relievers on non-roster invitee deals, including Bud Norris, Blake Parker, Drew Storen and Anthony Swarzak, among others.

The team’s first spring training game is slated for Saturday, February 22, away against the Detroit Tigers.