Phillies at Rangers: March 30th to April 2nd

2014 Topps Heritage #20

2014 Topps Heritage #245

Thursday 4:05, Saturday 4:05 and Sunday 7:08
Globe Life Field - Arlington, TX

At the Ballpark:  All fans receive a 2023 Rangers magnetic schedule on opening day, and the first 15,000 fans will receive a Rangers replica hat on Saturday.  On Sunday night, the first 15,000 fans will receive a Corey Seager powder blue replica Rangers jersey.

Phillies 87-35 in 2022
National League Champions

Phillies Probables
Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25)
Zack Wheeler (12-7, 2.82)
Bailey Falter (6-4, 3.86)

Phillies Spring Leaders
Average:  Darick Hall - .316
Runs:  Jake Cave and Scott Kingery - 11
Home Runs:  Darick Hall - 5
RBIs:  Jake Cave - 14
Stolen Bases:  Seven tied with - 2

Wins:  Aaron Nola and Erich Uelmen - 2
ERA:  N/A
Strikeouts:  Bailey Falter and Andrew Vasquez - 14
Saves:  Andrew Schultz - 2

Rangers 68-94 in 2022
4th Place in the A.L. West, 38 games behind the Astros

Rangers Probables
Jacob deGrom (5-4, 3.08)
Nathan Eovaldi (6-3, 3.87)
Martin Perez (12-8, 2.89)

Rangers Spring Leaders
Average:  Corey Seager - .400
Runs:  Three tied with - 11
Home Runs:  Corey Seager - 4
RBIs:  Ezequiel Duran - 15
Stolen Bases:  Bubba Thompson - 5

Wins:  Jon Gray - 3
ERA:  Dane Dunning - 4.43

Strikeouts:  Cole Ragans - 24
Saves:  Jose Leclerc - 3

2023 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2023 Season Summary Index / 2023 Chachi Set Checklist

A Look Back at the Phillies Transactions - 2020 to 2021

2021 Topps Heritage #337

2021 Topps Heritage #442

2021 Chachi Departures #2

2021 Topps Heritage #69

2021 Topps Heritage #421

I put together this listing each year for the sake of completeness, and similar to recent years I feel the need to hit Publish and quickly move on for the good of my own mental health.

Departures - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Deolis Guerra - rhp (10/14/20) - Elected free agency, signed with the Oakland Athletics (2/2/21).
• Trevor Kelley - rhp (10/14/20) - Elected free agency, signed with the Chicago Cubs (12/14/20).
• Jose Alvarez - lhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed with the San Francisco Giants (3/6/21).
• Jake Arrieta - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed with the Chicago Cubs (2/17/21).
• Jay Bruce - of (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed with the New York Yankees (2/12/21).
• Tommy Hunter - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed with the New York Mets (2/14/21).
• Brandon Workman - rhp (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, signed with the Chicago Cubs (2/18/21).
• Phil Gosselin - inf (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, signed with the Los Angeles Angels (2/11/21).
• Heath Hembree - rhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, singed with the Cleveland Indians (2/5/21).
• Adam Morgan - lhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, signed with the Chicago Cubs (2/12/21).
• Blake Parker - rhp (10/30/20) - Outrighted off 40-man roster, elected free agency, signed with the Cleveland Indians (2/16/21).
• David Phelps - rhp (10/30/20) - Club option declined, elected free agency, signed with the Toronto Blue Jays (2/11/21).
• David Robertson - rhp (10/30/20) - Club option declined, elected free agency, signed with the Tampa Bay Rays (8/16/21).
• Reggie McClain - rhp (12/10/20) - Selected by the Yankees in the minor league portion of the annual rule 5 draft.
• Garrett Cleavinger - lhp (12/29/20) - Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers with the Phillies receiving Jose Alvarado in exchange from the Tampa Bay Rays.
• Kyle Garlick - of (1/22/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
• Victor Arano - rhp (1/22/21) - Claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves.
• Cole Irvin - lhp (1/30/21) - Traded to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.

Coming Back - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Ronald Torreyes - inf (10/15/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies (1/4/21).
• J.T. Realmuto - c (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies (1/29/21).
• Didi Gregorius - ss (10/28/20) - Elected free agency, re-signed with the Phillies (2/10/21).

2021 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs Update #26

2021 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #11

2021 Choice Reading Fightin Phils #3

2021 Topps Allen & Ginter #29

2021 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #7

New Additions - 2020-2021 Offseason

• Jose Alvarado - lhp (12/29/20) - Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays with the Dodgers receiving Garrett Cleavinger in exchange.
• Neftail Feliz - rhp (1/4/21) - Signed as a free agent.
• Sam Coonrod - rhp (1/9/21) - Acquired from the San Francisco Giants for Carson Ragsdale.
• Archie Bradley - rhp (1/18/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Cincinnati Reds.
• David Paulino - rhp (1/18/21) - Signed as a free agent.
• Matt Moore -lhp (2/3/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.
• Chase Anderson - rhp (2/8/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Toronto Blue Jays.
• Matt Joyce - of (2/10/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Miami Marlins.
• Brandon Kintzler - rhp (2/10/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Miami Marlins.
• Travis Jankowski - of (2/12/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Cincinnati Reds.
• Brad Miller - inf (2/17/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Arrived During the 2021 Season

• Jorge Bonifacio - of (5/25/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Detroit Tigers.
• Cam Bedrosian - rhp (7/7/21) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the Oakland Athletics.
• Hans Crouse - rhp, Kyle Gibson - rhp and Ian Kennedy - rhp (7/30/21) - Acquired from the Texas Rangers with cash for Josh Gessner, Kevin Gowdy and Spencer Howard.
• Freddy Galvis - inf (7/30/21) - Acquired from the Baltimore Orioles for Tyler Burch.

Departed During the 2021 Season

• David Hale - rhp (6/27/21) - Granted free agency.
• Neftali Feliz - rhp (7/3/21) - Granted free agency, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers (7/5/21).
• Spencer Howard - rhp (7/30/21) - Traded to the Texas Rangers with Josh Gessner and Kevin Gowdy for Hans Crouse, Kyle Gibson, Ian Kennedy and cash.
• Brandon Kintzler - rhp (8/2/21) - Released.
• Chase Anderson - rhp (8/27/21) - Released, signed with the Texas Rangers (8/31/21).
• Vince Velasquez - rhp (9/12/21) - Released, signed with the San Diego Padres (9/15/21).
• Enyel De Los Santos - rhp (9/13/21) - Selected off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• Matt Joyce - of (9/26/21) - Released.

2021 Chachi #53 Neftali Feliz

#96
Neftali Feliz
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  235
Opening Day Age:  32
Born:  May 2, 1988, Azua, Dominican Republic
How Obtained:  Signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent, January 4, 2021
Major League Teams:  Texas Rangers 2009-2015; Detroit Tigers 2015; Pittsburgh Pirates 2016; Milwaukee Brewers 2017; Kansas City Royals 2017; Philadelphia Phillies 2021

First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Minor League Card:  2021 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #11
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A

Newest Card Added:  2021 Choice Lehigh Valley IronPigs #11

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  2009-2017

1 - Feliz baseball card in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 7/6/21.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2021 Chachi #53

As I'm writing this, Feliz has alrady departed from the Phillies organization, designated for assignment on July 1st and declared a free agent on July 3rd after passing through waivers and declining his assignment back to Lehigh Valley.  The former A.L. Rookie of the Year appeared in two games for the Phillies getting hit hard in both, and earning an 0-1 record and a 36.00 ERA with the club.  I have one card of his in my Phillies collection, from the recently released IronPigs team set.

Feliz reportedly signed a minor league deal yesterday with the Dodgers, which means he's just about destined to be one of the league's most dominant relievers in the second half of the 2021 season.

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 76 - 2010 Topps #235 Neftali Feliz

Reds 12, Phillies 4
Game 76 - Monday Night, June 28th in Cincinnati
Record - 36-40, 4th Place, 5 games behind the Mets

One Sentence Summary:  A late-inning bullpen implosion resulted in ten Reds runs scored in the seventh and eighth innings as the Phillies fell dramatically, 12-4.

What It Means:  After enjoying our first day in the Magic Kingdom during our vacation, I was treated to this Tweet from Matt Gelb, summarizing the game as follows:  "In a season of gruesome losses, it was one of the most disgusting yet."

What Happened:  Bailey Falter entered the game in the third, after starter Spencer Howard lasted just 2 1/3 innings and gave up a pair of runs.  Falter pitched four solid innings, allowing a run while striking out six.  The Phillies held a 4-2 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh, with Alec Bohm and Ronald Torreyes each driving in two runs, but then the wheels came off.

Neftali Feliz, the 2010 A.L. Rookie of the Year, entered the game, making his first big league appearance since August 13, 2017 when he was pitching for the Royals.  Feliz was hit often and hard, with the big blow coming from Nick Castellanos in the form of a go-ahead grand slam.  Enyel De Los Santos fared even worse in the eighth, allowing six more runs to score.  Nick Maton had to enter the game to retire the final batter in the bottom of the eighth - Tony Santillan, a pitcher, who struck out as a pinch-hitter.

Featured Card:  We know now that this would be one of only two appearances Feliz would make in a Phillies uniform.  The former All-Star closer saved a career high 40 games for the Rangers in 2010.

2021 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2021 Season Summary Index / 2021 Chachi Set Checklist

First Four Non-Roster Invitees Announced

2019 Topps Heritage #642

2016 Topps Heritage #221

2016 Topps Heritage #632

2012 Topps Heritage #143

If and when spring training happens in a few months, the Phillies will have at least four non-roster invitees suiting up in Clearwater.  That number is sure to grow, but it's always a good sign when non-roster invitee news starts to hit.  The Phillies announced these four names on Monday, a few weeks behind the pace of prior years.  For comparison purposes, the first four non-roster invitees were announced last year on December 20th.

Ronald Torreyes is the only returning Phillies player from 2020, for now, although Christian Bethancourt was in Clearwater with the club last spring before seemingly disappearing.  Neftali Feliz is a nine-year veteran, making the All-Star team and winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2010 while with the Rangers.  He last pitched in the majors in 2017 with the Royals.  The 6'7" Michael Ynoa also last pitched in the majors in 2017, when he appeared in 22 games for the White Sox.

Player (position) - 2020 Organization - Last Major Baseball Card Appearance

1.  Christian Bethancourt (c) - N/A - 2017 Topps #697 (Padres)

2.  Ronald Torreyes (inf) - Phillies - 2019 Topps #537 (Twins)

3.  Michael Ynoa (rhp) - N/A - 2016 Topps Heritage High Numbers #632 (White Sox)

4.  Neftali Feliz (rhp) - N/A - 2017 Topps Update #US117 (Royals)