Phillies Make a Trade and Signing to Protect Infield Depth

The Phillies had to make a decision Saturday whether to release Dylan Moore from his minor-league contract or add him to their 40-man roster. They chose the latter option, according to The Athletic, agreeing with Moore to a major-league contract.

There is now almost no shot the 33-year-old utilityman is off the Phils' Opening Day roster when the season begins on Thursday, spelling the end of the bench competition. Others, mainly just Bryan De La Cruz, had been in play for the fourth bench role but Moore had been the assumed favorite for a month with the Phillies preferring the player in that spot is able to play both infield and outfield.

The right-handed Moore has hit .200/.306/.370 since 2021. His value comes from his versatility. He has at least 100 innings of MLB experience at every position other than pitcher and catcher. He feels most natural at shortstop but also has 1,485 innings in the corner outfield and even 105 in center.

Bench roles

The Phillies' bench will likely consist of Moore, Edmundo Sosa, Otto Kemp and the backup catcher. The widespread hunch all along has been that Rafael Marchan will beat out Garrett Stubbs because both are out of minor-league options but one is six years younger. Stubbs can be retained and sent to Triple-A but he'd have to agree to it.

Sosa will start at second base against most lefties and be the primary backup at shortstop and third base to Trea Turner and Alec Bohm.

Kemp will get the chance early to start in left field against most lefties, and if he hits, could stick in a platoon with Brandon Marsh. Kemp will also back up Bryce Harper at first base, could play some third and occasionally some second.

Why the need for another utilityman?

Sosa and Kemp entering the season as parts of platoons explains why the Phillies felt they needed a third utility type player. There will be nights where Sosa starts at second and is pinch-hit for by Bryson Stott in his third at-bat. Who, at that point, would be the backup shortstop the rest of the night? Without Moore, it would be Stott, but then who would play second?

In that scenario, the Phillies realistically could have also pinch-hit or want to pinch-hit Marsh for Kemp. Having another utilityman protects them against running out of infielders in games when they start a righty at second base and left field and sub them out.

"You've got to hit to be in the big leagues, but defense for me, I take a lot of pride in, especially being that versatile bench option for winning a close game late," Moore said shortly after reporting to Clearwater.

The Saturday deadline

Moore on Thursday triggered the opt-out clause in his minor-league deal that veterans in his position have earned. The criteria are at least 6.0 years of MLB service time (Moore has 7.0) and the need to have finished the prior season on a team's 40-man roster. Moore began 2025 with the Mariners and ended it with the Rangers, latching on with Texas in late August two days after being released by Seattle. He made just under $3.7 million last season.

His opting out left the Phillies 48 hours to decide whether to release him to pursue another opportunity, or to add him to the 40 and essentially guarantee him an Opening Day roster spot.

The only way letting Moore walk would have made sense was if the sides were far apart financially on a one-year deal or if they knew they could quickly land another similar player cut by another team.

Minor trade

Aside from protecting their infield depth by retaining Moore, the Phillies also traded cash to the Cleveland Guardians for right-handed-hitting third baseman Carter Kieboom, according to MLB.com. Kieboom was formerly a top prospect of the Washington Nationals.

The 28-year-old Kieboom has played 371 games at Triple-A over five years and hit there, .288/.380/.439, but it hasn't carried over to the majors, where he's batted just .200/.297/.300 in 516 plate appearances. He will likely report to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and continue to play the left side of the infield.

It's a very low-risk move for the Phillies to see whether things might finally click for a former first-round pick in his late-20s.