Categories: News

REPORT: Phillies sign Michael Saunders

Photo by Keith Allison

UPDATE (2:29 p.m.): Ken Rosenthal reports Saunders has signed for one year and $9 million. A club option for 2018 is also included, set for $11 million with incentive clauses that could bring it to $14 million.

There’s a $1 million buyout for 2018, if the Phils decline to pick up Saunders’ option.

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UPDATE (1:05 p.m.): Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports the deal is done. One year with options, he tweets.

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Jon Morosi of MLB Network and Fox Sports reports the Phillies are close to signing outfielder Michael Saunders to a free-agent contract.

Saunders, 30, hit .253/.338/.478 with 24 home runs and 57 runs batted in for the Blue Jays last season. Able to play all outfield positions, Saunders hits from the left side. His terrific first-half of 2016 (.266/.353/.481) earned him his first All Star Game appearance.

When the offseason began, we targeted Saunders as the most fitting upgrade for the Phils outfield for 2017.

More to come as we get updates.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.