2021 Chachi #23 Brandon Kintzler

#19
Brandon Lee Kintzler
Relief Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  196
Opening Day Age:  36
Born:  August 1, 1984, Las Vegas, NV
How Obtained:  Signed as a minor league free agent formerly with the Miami Marlins, February 10, 2021
Contract Status:  Signed through 2021
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Brewers 2010-2015; Minnesota Twins 2016-2017; Washington Nationals 2018; Chicago Cubs 2018-2019; Miami Marlins 2020; Philadelphia Phillies 2021

First Phillies Card:  N/A
First Phillies Minor League Card:  N/A
First Phillies Team Issued Card:  N/A

Newest Card Added:  2021 Topps #31

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5):  2011, 2014, 2018-2019, 2021

1 - Kintzler baseball card in my collection per The Phillies Room Checklist as of 5/6/21.

Complete Chachi Checklist
2021 Chachi #23

Veteran relief pitcher Brandon Kintzler is in his 12th season in the majors, having found his greatest success as an All-Star with the Twins in 2017.  He was sent to the Nationals that season at the trade deadline and ultimately set a career high with 29 saves.  He returned to the closer's role in 2020 with the Marlins, saving 12 games.  Kintzler, wanting to play for a winning team, opted to gamble on a minor league contract with the Phillies in February and the gamble has paid off (so far).

Kintzler's appearances in Topps flagship sets over the years have hopscotched around a bit, as 2018 and 2019 are the only two consecutive years he's had Topps base cards.  The sole card of his in my collection so far is his 2021 Topps series one card featuring him with the Marlins.

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

Game 4 - 2021 Topps #31 Brandon Kintzler

Phillies 5, Mets 3
Game 4 - Monday Night, April 5th in Philadelphia
Record - 4-0, 1st Place, 2 games ahead of the Nationals

One Sentence Summary:  Handcuffed by Jacob deGrom through six innings, the Phillies took advantage of his early departure and plated five in the eighth in this come-from-behind, 5-3 win.

What It Means:  The Phillies are 4-0 and the only remaining undefeated team in baseball.  Hard to believe, Harry.

What Happened:  deGrom was nearly unhittable through six innings, striking out seven, but after 77 pitches his night was over.  A quick sequence of events in the eighth saw the Phillies take the lead.  Mets' reliever Trevor May allowed a single to pinch-hitter Brad Miller, walked Andrew McCutchen and allowed another single to Rhys Hoskins to load the bases.  Aaron Loup entered and hit Bryce Harper to allow the Phillies' first run to cross the plate.  J.T. Realmuto singled to tie the game, and then the Phillies scored twice more when Alec Bohm reached on a fielder's choice and Mets' third baseman Luis Guillorme threw wide of the plate.  Didi Gregorius added a sacrifice fly for the fifth and final run.

Matt Moore made his first Phillies start and was the victim of some bloop hits and shaky Phillies defense.  His final line shows 3 1/3 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks and 4 strikeouts.  The new and improved bullpen did its job with Brandon Kintzler, Sam Coonrod and Connor Brogdon combining for 4 2/3 scoreless innings.  Jose Alvarado got into some trouble in the ninth, but eventually locked down the save. 

Featured Card:  Brogdon picked up the win, but it was Kintzler who entered the game in the fourth with the bases loaded and immediately induced an inning-ending double play.  He's in the 2021 Topps set with the Marlins, and with the Phillies not producing a team-issued photo card set this year (yet) this could realistically be the only baseball card he's on this season.

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

New Uniform Numbers Arrive, Spring Training Approaches!

2019 Topps Heritage #667

2019 Topps Heritage #81

2019 Topps Heritage #178

2019 Topps Heritage #657

2019 Topps Heritage #224

This year has been a bit backwards in more ways than one, and the Phillies took their time this offseason issuing new uniform numbers for their offseason additions.  We're still awaiting the official release of the minor league prospect non-roster invitee list, which typically comes before we get to the new number stage of the offseason.  Presented below is a look at the new uniform numbers, one uniform number switch and the numbers still officially and unofficially available.  The Phillies are now one day away from pitchers and catchers officially reporting to Clearwater, masked up and socially distant.

#
7
12
19
23
29
30
31
46
47
53
54
57
65
66
67
69
70
78
96

Old Player/Coach
Josh Harrison - inf (NRI)
Neil Walker - inf
Bryan Price - pitching coach
Kyle Garlick - of
Drew Storen - rhp (NRI)
David Robertson - rhp
David Phelps - rhp
Adam Morgan - lhp
Cole Irvin - lhp
Blake Parker - rhp
Austin Davis - lhp
Deolis Guerra - rhp
JD Hammer - rhp
Garrett Cleavinger - lhp
Trevor Kelley - rhp
Addison Russ - rhp
Arquimedes Gamboa - inf
Mickey Moniak - of*
Tommy Hunter - rhp

New Player/Coach
Matt Joyce - of (NRI)
Rafael Marchan - c*
Brandon Kintzler - rhp (NRI)
Archie Bradley - rhp
Hector Rondon - rhp (NRI)
C.J. Chatham - inf
Matt Moore - lhp
Jose Alvarado - lhp
Ivan Nova - rhp (NRI)
David Paulino - rhp (NRI)
Sam Coonrod - rhp
Chase Anderson - rhp
Caleb Cotham - pitching coach
Michael Ynoa - rhp (NRI)
Nick Maton - ss
Francisco Morales - rhp
Bailey Falter - lhp
Simon Muzziotti - of
Neftali Feliz - rhp (NRI)

* Marchan is switching from #13 to #12, and Moniak wore #78 in spring training but switched to #16 when he joined the Phillies.

Not counting the numbers unofficially on ice for Ryan Howard (#6), Jimmy Rollins (#11), Chase Utley (#26) and possibly Cole Hamels (#35), the Phillies have a surprising amount of respectable uniform numbers still available under 70:  8, 9, 13, 39, 43, 49, 52 and 64.  I'm assuming #37 is still being held for Odubel Herrera and #51 for Enyel De Los Santos, both of whom are still in the system but currently not non-roster invitees.  JD Hammer is also still around, but the Phillies gave his #65 to new pitching coach Caleb Cotham.

Non-roster invitees Travis Jankowski and Bryan Mitchell haven't been assigned numbers yet on the team's website so they'll take two of the numbers above off the chart.  And super-utility player Brad Miller is rumored to be returning to the club as well.  The #33 he wore with the team in 2019 is currently being worn by hitting coach Joe Dillon, so perhaps he'll take one of the remaining single digit numbers still available.

Memory Lane

2012 New Numbers

2013 New Numbers
2014 New Numbers - Part One and Part Two
2015 New Numbers
2016 New Numbers - Part One and Part Two
2017 New Numbers
2018 New Numbers
2019 New Numbers - Part One, Part Two and Part Three
2020 New Numbers

2021 New Numbers

Kintzler and Joyce Added to Non-Roster Invitee Options

2020 Topps Heritage #679

2020 Topps Heritage #636

During the press conference on Wednesday to officially welcome Didi Gregorius back to the club, GM Dave Dombrowski told reporters the Phillies had also added two more veteran names to the list of non-roster invitees who will start showing up in Clearwater next week.

Reliever Brandon Kintzler will get some serious consideration for a bullpen role, especially given his success last year with the Marlins when he had a 2.22 ERA over 24 games with 12 saves.  He's an 11-year veteran who went to the All-Star Game in 2017 with the Twins.  His Topps flagship set appearances have been sporadic, with cards in the 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2021 sets, as well as a card in the 2019 Topps Update set.

His Marlins teammate last year, Matt Joyce, will also suit up for the Phillies and could be an outfield reserve option.  Joyce is a 13-year veteran and was an All-Star with the Rays in 2011.  He hit a career high 25 home runs in 2017 while a member of the Athletics.  With the exception of 2010, Joyce appeared in every Topps flagship set between 2009 and 2018 with a multitude of different teams.

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)

5.  Ivan Nova (rhp) - Tigers - 2020 Topps Heritage #704 (Tigers)

6.  Bryan Mitchell (rhp) - White Sox - 2015 Topps #224 (Yankees)

7.  David Paulino (rhp) - N/A - 2018 Donruss Promising Pros Materials #PPM-DP (Astros)

8.  Hector Rondon (rhp) - Diamondbacks - 2020 Topps Total #600 (Diamondbacks)

9.  Brandon Kintzler (rhp) - Marlins - 2020 Topps Heritage High Numbers #679

10.  Matt Joyce (of) - Marlins - 2020 Topps Heritage High Numbers #636