Philly officially dumped the three-catcher nonsense, finally making a roster move that felt like it was coming for ages. Right in the middle of their series against the Dodgers after a Monday win, the Phillies called up Bryan De La Cruz, the outfielder who’s been tearing it up in Triple-A with a monster .806 OPS. This isn’t just a simple swap; it tells you everything about Stubbs’ spot on that roster.
The Curious Case of Three Catchers and One Injured Wrist
For way too long, the Phillies were rolling with J.T. Realmuto, Rafael Marchan, and Garrett Stubbs all on the active roster, and honestly, it never made a lick of sense. Stubbs, in particular, was barely seeing the field, getting a paltry 28 at-bats across 20 games this season. His .179 batting average and pathetic .429 OPS were screaming for a change, even if he wasn’t officially on the chopping block. Now, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, Stubbs is on the 10-day injured list with left wrist inflammation. Was this wrist injury really a surprise, or was his spot already in jeopardy given his non-existent playing time? Either way, instead of designating him for assignment and ending his Phillies run completely, they’ve stashed him on the IL. It’s a move that frees up a spot and might keep him around a bit longer, but for what, who knows?
Bryan De La Cruz: A Fresh Face with Big League Hopes
Taking Stubbs’ place on the 26-man roster is Bryan De La Cruz, a 29-year-old right-handed hitting outfielder. Now, De La Cruz isn’t exactly new to the big show. He’s had stints with the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves, and even a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance with the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 2024. His overall Major League line is a .251 average with a .697 OPS, but that .453 OPS he put up in 47 at-bats for the Braves in 2025 basically slammed the door shut on him for a while. It’s been a tough road back, but he’s getting another shot, this time with his third NL East team. Hopefully, this one sticks!
Down in Triple-A this year for the Phillies, De La Cruz has been straight-up impressive. We’re talking an .806 OPS, a .269 average, 12 home runs, 56 RBIs, 44 walks, 19 doubles, 83 hits, and 45 runs scored across 308 at-bats in 84 games. And get this: in June, he hit .333 with a .980 OPS. Then in July? He cranked it up to a .394 average with a ridiculous 1.035 OPS! That kind of summer absolutely screams for a promotion. De La Cruz is slated to be a depth outfielder, probably getting his chances against left-handed pitching. He didn’t make Tuesday’s lineup, but you gotta believe he’ll be out there in the next week or so. Can this guy keep that fire going in the bigs? The Phillies are about to find out, and it’s gonna be interesting to watch how this plays out as they see what he’s got.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply