PHILADELPHIA — Two days after the major-league trade deadline, the Phillies continued to remold their roster for a playoff run, dropping Didi Gregorius into the outgoing bin.
Joining Odubel Herrera and Jeurys Familia among veterans dismissed in the top-of-August swirl, Gregorius was released after a meeting with Rob Thomson Thursday. With that, Thomson appointed rookie Bryson Stott as the regular shortstop.
“I have a long history with Didi going going back to the Yankees,” said Thomson, a former coach in New York. “There have been a lot of really good times. A lot of playoff games. Ups and downs. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s been a really good player for a long time.”
Gregorius had his best seasons with the Yankees and essentially was brought to Philadelphia by Joe Girardi, his former manager. He hit 10 home runs in the shortened 2020 season and 13 last year, but just one in 232 plate appearances this season at the age of 32 while hitting .210. Yairo Munoz provides more infield versatility, and the recent acquisition of Edmundo Sosa further crowded the infield.
When Jean Segura was activated Thursday after recovering from a prolonged finger injury, a move was necessary and Gregorius did not have the punch to justify dislodging Darick Hall as a left-handed pinch-hitter.
“With Seggy coming back, Stott is going to be the shortstop,” Thomson said. “With Sosa and Munoz, we’ve got a lot of versatility there. So, Didi was really kind of the odd man out. That doesn’t mean he’s a bad player. He’s played very well at shortstop for us. He just didn’t hit the way that he normally hits.
“It’s a difficult decision, but I think it’s the right decision.”
Stott was playing second in the absence of Segura and was hitting just .196. But he entered a game against Washington Thursday with seven home runs and is eight years younger than Gregorius.
“It’s his job to lose, right?” said Bryce Harper, a fellow native of greater Las Vegas and long a Stott ally. “He’s going to go out there and play his game. I think he’s has done a great job for us at second base and at shortstop. He’s picking it really well and I think he’s going to continue to do that. I think his swing is coming along as well. So I am excited to see him set back to his regular position and playing every single day.”
Stott was in the lineup at shortstop, batting eighth Thursday.
“We saw him when Didi was down earlier in the year,” Thomson said. “He played short and he played very well. His at-bats over the last six weeks have been outstanding, not only against right-handers but left-handers too. Clutch situations, he’s gotten on base. He’s had great at-bats. He’s seeing the ball well. He’s really proven to be a big-league player.”
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The Phillies acquired Brandon Marsh at the deadline from the Angels to be their regular centerfielder. He started Thursday and batted ninth.
“It’s very, very exciting,” Marsh said. “It’s a blessing to be here. I am super excited. I met the guys and the staff today and it has been nothing short of what I expected. So it’s been awesome.”
Marsh, 24, was considered a hot prospect, but was hitting .239 in two years of semi-regular work for the Angels. The Phillies believe they have identified something correctable in his swing, and Marsh went right to work with hitting coach Kevin Long Thursday afternoon.
“It was amazing,” the outfielder said. “I’ve had one hitting session with him so far and it was awesome. He just explored some things and found out some stuff about me that I had no idea about. So it’s been awesome the first day.
“There wasn’t anything new. He just implemented it a lot harder. It’s just timing. Be on time for the heater and react to the off-speed.”
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With Marsh, a left-handed hitter, expected to start regularly, Thomson will need to find a role for right-handed-hitting Matt Vierling.
“I talked to Matty,” the manager said. “He’s still going to get some infield time when we can. We like Matty a lot. He’s a good player. He’s going to get time in center field. He’s going to get time in a corner. He’s going to continue to play.”
Vierling was hitting .236 with three home runs.
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Activated from the bereavement list Thursday, Kyle Gibson (6-4, 4.60 ERA) will oppose Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray (7-7, 4.59) Friday night at 7:05.
