Brett Phillips was a versatile position player for the Tampa Bay Rays just a few years ago. Now, Phillips is attempting to transition into pitching, recently signing a minor-league contract with the New York Yankees. Phillips addressed this new chapter of his career via a message on his Instagram.
“Man, I feel so blessed. All the Glory to God. Special thanks to those who have had a hand in this new opportunity,” Phillips wrote Thursday.
Phillips, 30, made his MLB debut in 2017 with the Milwaukee Brewers as a position player. He has since played for the Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels. Phillips saw the most consistent playing time of his career in Tampa Bay.
Although he was never a star offensive player, Phillips featured the ability to play multiple positions. The Rays valued Phillips as a utility player.
Phillips' last MLB action came in 2023 with the Angels. He appeared in 39 games for the Halos during the '23 campaign. Phillips was ultimately designated for assignment in May of 2023. He rejoined the big league roster in September.
Phillips signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago White Sox before the 2024 season but was released after struggling mightily at the plate in the minor leagues. Phillips' offensive woes and apparent desire to pitch led to his latest pursuit. The Yankees are taking a chance on Phillips in hopes that he can become a reliable big league hurler someday.
Will Brett Phillips succeed as a pitcher for Yankees?
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There are no guarantees that Phillips will be able to earn a role on a big league pitching staff someday. With that being said, he is determined to try. And that is all you can ask for.
Phillips has pitched in big league games before. Those appearances were in mop-up roles with his team either trailing or leading by a significant margin. Still, it is worth noting that Phillips has a career 15.19 ERA across 5.1 innings pitched. It is also worth noting that Phillips was often softly throwing pitches in the zone.
It is safe to say he was not in attack mode on the mound during his previous pitching appearances. Now that he is seriously pursuing a pitcher career, though, perhaps Phillips will receive the opportunity to improve his ERA at some point in MLB.
