The Philadelphia Phillies are back to playing winning baseball after a rough stretch from the end of May and into early June. Four players aren’t necessarily benefiting from the Phillies’ success on the field, but they’re benefiting financially.
Teams pay players who aren’t on the roster for a variety of reasons. There are four instances of that on the Phillies’ payroll this season, two of which are players who haven’t even suited up for the team in 2025.
Former relievers José Ruiz, Carlos Hernández among players Phillies have wasted $4 million on
José Ruiz, Carlos Hernández, Whit Merrifield and Didi Gregorius have all made money from the Phillies this season. In fact, the Phillies spent just under $4 million on the foursome, per Phillies Tailgate on X.
The Phillies have spent $3,992,178 on the following players this season: pic.twitter.com/p44ZURrNKx
— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) June 17, 2025
Ruiz and Hernández were both designated for assignment this month and claimed by other teams. The duo struggled in the Phillies’ bullpen, a weakness of the team through the first few months of the season.
After a pleasantly surprising first season with the Phillies in 2024 in which he owned a 3.71 ERA in 52 appearances, Ruiz didn’t have the same success in 2025. The right-hander had an 8.16 ERA in 16 appearances, and opponents were hitting .350 against him. He’s now a member of the Atlanta Braves.
Hernández is a hard-throwing reliever, but command issues have prevented him from reaching his full potential. After five seasons with the Kansas City Royals, the Phillies claimed the right-hander as the 2025 season was set to begin.
Hernández owned a 5.26 ERA and a high BB/9 (4.56) in 25 2/3 innings with the Phillies. The 28-year-old was recently claimed by the Detroit Tigers.
Merrifield, Gregorius also on Phillies' payroll this season
Merrifield signed with the Phillies before the 2024 season, but it never worked out for the three-time All-Star in the City of Brotherly Love. The utility man hit just .199 in 53 games before being released and signing with the division rival Braves. Merrifield is a free agent who’s likely heading for retirement, but he made $1 million from the Phillies in 2025.
Like Merrifield, Gregorius isn’t on an MLB roster. The veteran shortstop hasn’t appeared in a major league game since 2022 with the Phillies.
Gregorius has made the most money from the Phillies this year out of this random group of players. Receiving $2 million from a team he hasn’t played for in three years may seem outrageous, but it’s not hard to take.
It isn’t quite Bobby Bonilla, who hasn’t played for the New York Mets since 1999, yet receives approximately $1.19 million from them every July 1 until 2035, but the Phillies sure wasted $4 million this year.