The Texas Rangers have claimed Tommy Joseph off the Phillies’ waiver wire six days after Philadelphia designated the first baseman for assignment.
The Phillies designated Joseph for assignment to make room on the roster for Jake Arrieta, who signed a three-year deal, $75 million deal last week. The Phillies had hoped to keep Joseph, who would have had to agreed to an assignment to AAA Lehigh Valley, within the system despite designating him.
Last season, Joseph hit .240 with 22 homeruns. He drove in 69 runs, as well. In his two year Phillies’ career, Joseph had up and down productivity, as he struggled to hit for average, batting .247 over 249 games, but also was consistent with the long ball, hitting 43 homeruns over the two season span.
Joseph joined the organization as part of a trade with the San Francisco Giants that sent outfielder Hunter Pence to San Francisco for Joseph, Nate Schierholtz and Seth Rosin. Joseph was expected to be Carlos Ruiz’s replacement behind the plate, but a rash of concussions that nearly ended his career forced Joseph to move to first base.
Joseph’s longevity with the club appeared to be in doubt with the emergence of Rhys Hoskins midway through the 2017 season. While Hoskins began his rookie stint in the outfield, he gained more time at first base as the season progressed, at Joseph’s expense. It seemed as if the Phillies would be content to permanently move Hoskins to first base to being the 2018 season, but made a splash signing this past offseason by bringing in former-Indian Carlos Santana on a three-year, $60 million deal.
With Santana entrenched at first base, and Hoskins moving back to left field, there was little room for Tommy Joseph on the Major League roster. New Manager Gabe Kapler experimented with Joseph in the outfield, in an attempt to keep his power bat on the 25-man roster, but the experiment appeared to produce unspectacular results. With a crowded outfield and an everyday first baseman on the roster, Tommy Joseph became expendable.
While the Phillies were unable to complete a trade for Joseph prior to the DFA, he will find a home in the American League where he could be far more useful as a designated hitter. With a first baseman, in Mike Napoli, who hit .193 last season, now with the Cleveland Indians, Joseph may also get a chance to man first base this season for the Rangers.
In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Texas Rangers have made a subsequent move, transferring right-hander Clayton Blackburn to the 60-day disabled list.
andatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
