While Philadelphia Phillies fans have had to watch Rhys Hoskins suit up with the Milwaukee Brewers this spring, there are still a slew of players who were considered relatively integral parts of the team in the not-so-distant past that remain free agents.
With just a few weeks until the 2024 regular season begins, here are 11 former Phillies still looking for an opportunity to extend their respective careers.
RHP Michael Lorenzen
Things largely didn’t work out for Lorenzen after a midseason trade to the Phillies, as he posted a 5.51 ERA over 47 1/3 innings. With that said, there’s a big if, as he tossed a no-hitter in his second start with the Phillies. He was an All-Star — albeit on a bad team — with the Detroit Tigers, posting a 3.58 ERA in 18 starts before being traded to the Phillies. That he’s not in camp with someone right now on an MLB deal is quite surprising, especially given that the New York Mets and San Diego Padres have been reported to have interest in him.
The Los Angeles Angels — who employed Lorenzen in 2022 — are also reportedly interested in Lorenzen. It’s possible they are waiting to see if they’ll sign Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery before making a decision on Lorenzen, although they could stand to add multiple starters. Overall, the bulk of teams that would make sense for Lorenzen aren’t players for Snell or Montgomery, so their continued presence on the market shouldn’t prevent him from signing.
INF Jean Segura
Make no mistake, 2023 was a disastrous season for Segura, as he slashed .219/.277/.279 in 85 games for the Miami Marlins. Segura was traded to the Cleveland Guardians as part of a salary dump, and was DFA’d before ever spending a game with the team.
Still, Segura is just two seasons removed from posting a .723 OPS for the Phillies, a team that he ended up being a playoff hero with. You would think that the two-time All-Star would at least be in camp on a minor-league deal with someone, but it’s been radio silence on him.
Segura is still going to make $8.5 million in 2024 as part of the contract he signed with the Marlins last winter. Set to turn 34 in March, it’s possible he just doesn’t want to play anymore.
RHP Vince Velasquez
Velasquez posted a 3.86 ERA in eight starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates a season ago, before undergoing season-ending surgery on his right elbow in June, which came with an 11-12 month recovery timeline. For as frustrating as Velasquez’s career has been, one would think the 31-year-old will land somewhere in the coming months if his recovery goes well enough for him to pitch this season.
RHP Jeurys Familia
Eight years after he was an All-Star closer for the New York Mets, Familia is still looking for work. He struggled mightily with the Phillies in 38 outings in 2022, posting a 6.09 ERA before being designated for assignment. In stints with the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics since, Familia’s results haven’t improved. The 34-year-old’s career in affiliated baseball might be over.
IF/OF/DH Brad Miller
Miller had two stints with the Phillies, serving as a jack-of-all-trades in both 2019 and 2021. Over that time, Miller became a fan favorite, homering 32 times in 449 at-bats with the Phillies. After his second stint in red pinstripes, Miller landed a two-year/$10 million with the Texas Rangers. Unfortunately for Miller, injuries limited him to just 108 games over the lifetime of that contract. He got a ring with the Rangers a year ago, but wasn’t part of the team’s postseason run.
RHP Noah Syndergaard
Syndergaard is still only 31, but he posted a 6.50 ERA over 18 starts a season ago, a campaign that he split between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Guardians. The New York Yankees were said in late January to be among 15 MLB teams that have watched one of Syndergaard’s bullpen sessions this winter. Someone will sign him, but it’s just hard to shake how poorly his body has responded to the Tommy John surgery he had in March of 2020. His average fastball velocity in 2019 was 97.9 mph. His average fastball velocity in 2022 — a season he split with the Angels and Phillies — was 94.5 mph. His average fastball velocity in 2023 was 92.3 mph. It’s a real shame for the sport how his career has turned out.
OF Corey Dickerson
The Phillies acquired Dickerson from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the 2019 trade deadline to replace Andrew McCutchen, who was out for the season with a torn left ACL. Dickerson hit eight home runs and posted an .886 OPS in 34 games for the Phillies, earning him a two-year deal with the Miami Marlins. Since then, Dickerson has spent time with the Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals. The 34-year-old homered twice with 17 RBIs in 50 games for the Nationals in 2023.
LHP Aaron Loup
Loup was a forgettable addition in the summer of 2018 from the Toronto Blue Jays by former general manager Matt Klentak, making nine appearances for a Phillies team that absolutely collapsed down the stretch. Loup, though, was excellent in 89 games for the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, posting 1.43 ERA and 2.87 FIP. That earned him a two-year/$17 million deal with the Angels. The 36-year-old lefty disappointed over two seasons with the Halos, particularly in 2023, when he posted a 6.10 ERA across 55 games.
1B/OF/DH Darin Ruf
Ruf wore out his E-ZPass in parts of five seasons with the Phillies from 2012-2016, before spending three seasons playing in South Korea. He returned to the majors in 2020 with the San Francisco Giants, and between the pandemic-shorted season and 2021, he homered 21 times and posted a .900 OPS in 157 games. When the Giants visited Citizens Bank Park in May of 2022, Gabe Kapler referred to Ruf as a “flat-out raker” when asked for his thoughts on the former Phillie. However, Ruf has just a .642 OPS over the last two years, campaigns split between the Giants, Mets and Brewers. While his return to affiliated ball was a great story, Ruf will turn 38 in July, so there’s a real possibility he’s taken his last MLB at-bat.
LHP Brad Hand
Once one of the better relievers in the sport with the San Diego Padres and Cleveland, Hand had a pretty forgettable season with the Phillies in 2022, especially considering he was on a team that reached the World Series. The three-time All-Star posted a 2.80 ERA in 55 games, but his 3.93 FIP is probably more in line with how he performed. Hand — who will turn 34 later this month — split 2023 with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves, posting a 5.53 ERA in 60 games. Given how desperate teams are for relief arms, he’ll probably land a minor-league deal somewhere in 2024.
RHP Sam Coonrod
Coonrod could light up a radar gun, and had some impressive moments for the Phillies in 2021, appearing in 42 games and posting a 3.71 FIP. Right elbow and lat injuries have limited Coonrod to just 22 total MLB appearances over the last two seasons, which were split between the Phillies and Mets. Coonrod is only 31, but it’s unclear where he’s at physically.
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Bawb Eff
March 9, 2024 at 8:20 am
Did Miller want guaranteed PT? I never understood why the Phillies didn’t keep him. He is a much better LH bat off the bench than Jake Cave, and he can play the same if not more positions as well.