Top 4 former Phillies players who are still unsigned

Sunday marks one week since the Philadelphia Phillies played their first of 28 Grapefruit League games as part of this year’s spring training down in Florida.

Therefore, just three weeks worth of games remain before exhibition contests turn into games that start to matter in the win-loss column.

Many players still remain free-agents, however — partially due to the slow nature of offseason signings, mostly because of the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the top four former Phillies players who are still unsigned.

4. Juan Nicasio

A 10-year veteran, right-handed reliever Juan Nicasio pitched in two games for the Phillies in 2017, as well as 47 two years later. His second stint with the team came about when he was traded to them from the Seattle Mariners — along with fellow reliever James Pazos and infielder Jean Segura — in exchange for infield prospect J.P. Crawford and first baseman Carlos Santana.

Combined in red pinstripes, Nicasio went 3-3 with a 4.62 ERA, 1.603 WHIP, and 46-21 strikeouts-to-walks ratio across 48 2/3 innings.

This past season for the Texas Rangers, however, Nicasio struggled greatly, appearing in only two games and 1 1/3 innings, but allowing five hits, six runs (all earned), and two walks while striking out just one of his 11 batters faced. The lone home run he surrendered was a grand slam to rising star Fernando Tatis Jr., who signed a record deal with the San Diego Padres this offseason.

Nicasio has pitched for seven different teams in his career. Whether he finds a reunion with one of those or signs with an eighth remains to be seen.