REALMUTO RETURNS

2020 Stadium Club #17

Sometimes Phillies news happens that's so big I completely overlook mentioning it on this blog.  Such is the case with the recent re-signing of All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, officially announced this past Friday.  While I'm quick to post on seemingly random non-roster invitee announcements, I occasionally miss the bigger news as I assume everyone who has found their way here is already well aware of Realmuto's return.  Nevertheless, I'll make it official here!  Realmuto's five-year deal takes him through the 2025 season and will pay the fan favorite $115.5 million.  I'm suddenly excited for the 2021 season to begin.

I was also delaying this post in the hope that the Didi Gregorius signing would become official, but we're still waiting on all of the details to be settled there.

In ex-Phillies news, pitcher Cole Irvin was traded to the A's on January 30th to free up a 40-man roster spot, and outfielder Kyle Garlick and pitcher Victor Arano were both claimed off waivers by the Braves after being designated for assignment on January 18th.  Short-time Phillies reliever Deolis Guerra will join Irvin in Oakland as the right-hander was signed to a minor league contract on Tuesday.

2021 Chachi Depatures #16

2021 Chachi Departures #15

2021 Chachi Departures #17

2021 Chachi Departures #1

Departures - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Deolis Guerra - rhp (10/14/20) - Elected free agency, signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics (2/2/21).
• Jose Alvarez - lhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Jake Arrieta - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Jay Bruce - of (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Didi Gregorius - ss (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Tommy Hunter - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Brandon Workman - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency.
• Phil Gosselin - inf (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency.
• Heath Hembree - rhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency.
• Adam Morgan - lhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency.
• Blake Parker - rhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency.
• David Phelps - rhp (10/30/20) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• David Robertson - rhp (10/30/20) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Reggie McClain - rhp (12/10/20) - Selected by the Yankees in the minor league portion of the annual rule 5 draft.
• Trevor Kelley - rhp (12/14/20) - Signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs.
• Garrett Cleavinger - lhp (12/29/20) - Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers with the Phillies receiving Jose Alvarado in exchange from the Tampa Bay Rays.
• Kyle Garlick - of (1/22/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
• Victor Arano - rhp (1/22/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
• Cole Irvin - lhp (1/30/21) - Traded to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.

Coming Back - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Ronald Torreyes - inf (10/15/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies as a minor league free agent (1/4/21).
• J.T. Realmuto - c (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies (1/29/21).

New Additions - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Johan Quezada - rhp (10/30/20) - Claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins.
• Ian Hamilton - rhp (12/7/20) Claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.
• Kyle Holder - inf (12/10/20) - Selected from the Yankees in the annual rule 5 draft.
• Jose Alvarado - lhp (12/29/20) - Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays with the Dodgers receiving Garrett Cleavinger in exchange.
• Sam Coonrod - rhp (1/9/21) - Acquired from the San Francisco Giants for Carson Ragsdale.
• Archie Bradley - rhp (1/18/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Cincinnati Reds.
• C.J. Chatham - inf (1/18/21) - Acquired from the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later.

Already Gone - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Kyle Holder - inf (1/30/21) - Traded to the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations.

2020 Chachi #14 Kyle Garlick

#23
Kyle Bruce Garlick
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  210
Opening Day Age:  28
Born:  January 26, 1992, Chino Hills, CA
How Obtained:  Acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Tyler Gilbert, February 15, 2020
Contract Status:  Arbitration eligible in 2023, free agency eligible in 2026
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Dodgers 2019; Philadelphia Phillies 2020

First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A

Newest Card Added:  N/A

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  2020

0 - Garlick baseball cards in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 8/6/20.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2020 Chachi New Additions #12
2020 Chachi #14

Garlick, acquired from the Dodgers in February, made the Phillies Opening Day roster and promptly switched from the #72 he had worn throughout the spring to the more appropriate #23.  To date, he's appeared in one game for the Phillies, DH'ing against the Yankees on August 5th and going 0 for 2.

He was sent to the Lehigh Valley alternate training site on August 6th when rosters decreased in size from 30 players to 28.  I'm curious to see if the Lehigh Valley IronPigs issue a Phillies Taxi Squad set.  If they have the rights to those players, it seems as if that could be a popular set with Phillies collectors as it would feature the first Phillies baseball cards for Garlick, Mikie Mahtook, Nick Martini, Cristopher Sanchez and Ronald Torreyes, along with several top Phillies prospects.

Garlick's first mainstream baseball card can be found in Topps Series 2, released in June, and featuring the outfielder with the Dodgers.

2020 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2020 Season Summary Index / 2020 Chachi Set Checklist

Garlick Added; Martini Dropped

2020 Chachi New Additions #12

2018 Grandstand Reading Fightin Phils #13

It appears the roster tinkering isn't quite over yet, as the Phillies acquired outfielder Kyle Garlick from the Dodgers on Saturday for left-handed pitching prospect Tyler Gilbert.  Gilbert had been a non-roster invitee to spring training this season and last, and he's pitched for five seasons in the Phillies minor league system.  In 36 relief appearances last year for the IronPigs, he went 2-4 with a 2.83 ERA over 47 2/3 innings.

Garlick had been designated for assignment by the Dodgers on February 11th to make room on the 40-man roster following the Mookie Betts deal.  He appeared in 30 games last season with Los Angeles, hitting .250 with 3 home runs.  In Triple-A last season, he hit .314 with 23 home runs.

To make room for Garlick on the 40-man roster, Nick Martini was designated for assignment.  Martini had been claimed off waivers from the Reds in January.

Moving On - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Rob Brantly - c (9/30/19) - Elected free agency, signed the San Francisco Giants (1/18/20).
• Fernando Salas - rhp (9/30/19) - Elected free agency.
• Corey Dickerson - of (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the Miami Marlins (1/7/20).
• Brad Miller - inf (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the St. Louis Cardinals (2/12/20).
• Logan Morrison - 1b (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the Milwaukee Brewers (1/9/20).
• Juan Nicasio - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the Texas Rangers (1/22/20).
• Sean Rodriguez - inf-of (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Drew Smyly - lhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the San Francisco Giants (1/16/20).
• Nick Vincent - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the San Francisco Giants (2/9/20).
• Jose Pirela - of (11/1/19) - Released, signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (Japan) (11/2/19).
• Jared Hughes - rhp (11/4/19) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Pat Neshek - rhp (11/4/19) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Jason Vargas - lhp (11/4/19) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Jerad Eickhoff - rhp (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the San Diego Padres (12/27/19).
• Mike Morin - rhp (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the Milwaukee Brewers (1/31/20).
• Edubray Ramos - rhp - (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1/8/20).
• Mitch Walding - 3b (11/4/19) - Elected free agency.
• Maikel Franco - 3b (12/2/19) - Non-tendered, elected free agency, signed with the Kansas City Royals (12/27/19).
• Cesar Hernandez - 2b (12/2/19) - Non-tendered, elected free agency, signed with the Cleveland Indians (12/29/19).

Coming Back - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Phil Gosselin - inf (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the Phillies (12/20/19).
• Blake Parker - rhp (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency, signed with the Phillies (2/5/20).
• Tommy Hunter - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency, signed with the Phillies (2/12/20).

New Arrivals - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Robert Stock - rhp (10/30/19) - Claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres.
• Cristopher Sanchez - lhp (11/20/19) - Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for Curtis Mead.
• Zack Wheeler - rhp (12/9/19) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the New York Mets.
• Didi Gregorius - ss (12/13/19) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the New York Yankees.
• Reggie McClain - rhp (1/31/20) - Claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.
• Deolis Guerra - rhp (2/5/20) - Claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers.
• Kyle Garlick - of (2/15/20) - Acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Tyler Gilbert.