Phillies Acquire Pitcher From Rays

The first move that the Philadelphia Phillies made this offseason wasn't a splashy one.

With four players electing to hit free agency, the Phillies are expected to be busy when figuring out how to piece together a roster that will contend for a World Series title in 2024.

Yet, the first transaction that Philadelphia made was to acquire left-handed pitcher Josh Fleming from the Tampa Bay Rays.

They claimed the 27-year-old off of waivers on Monday.

Fleming was originally a fifth round pick of the Rays in 2017 and made his MLB debut in 2020.

The left-hander has been featured in both starting and bullpen roles with Tampa Bay throughout his four seasons there. He has a career record of 19-13 with a 4.88 ERA across 223 1/3 innings pitched.

This past season, Fleming appeared in 12 games and made three starts. His 4.70 ERA was the lowest he's recorded since his rookie season.

If he makes the Phillies' roster, he will likely be used out of the bullpen. Known as a ground ball pitcher, he held lefty batters to a .191 average in 2023 and had a ground ball rate of 61.6%, which was in the 98th percentile for MLB pitchers.

In 33 relief appearances, Fleming has an 11-5 record with a 3.73 ERA and one save.

To make room for this move, Philadelphia has also outrighted pitchers Michael Plassmeyer and Erich Uelmen to their Triple-A affiliate, Lehigh Valley.

The Phillies were looking for additional bullpen arms after Craig Kimbrel hit free agency and is unlikely to return.

If Fleming is able to make the Opening Day roster, he should be another left-handed relief weapon in 2024.