Phillies make a series of roster moves as MLB free agency begins

Phillies make a series of roster moves as MLB free agency begins originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Monday was an important day on the MLB calendar.

• Free agency opened at 6 p.m.

• It was the final day for teams and players to decide whether to exercise contract options.

• And it was the deadline for teams to submit one-year qualifying offers to their eligible players.

The Phillies cleared five spots on their 40-man roster by outrighting right-handers Yunior Marte, Luis Ortiz and Freddy Tarnok, lefty Kolby Allard and infield Rodolfo Castro.

All five players cleared waivers and became free agents. Allard would have been eligible for arbitration.

The Phils filled three of those spots with right-handed pitchers in separate transactions. They acquired Devin Sweet from the Tigers in a cash deal, claimed John McMillon off waivers from the Marlins and selected the contract of Alan Rangel.

Sweet, 28, struck out 111 in 76 innings this past season for the Tigers’ Triple A affiliate. He had seven games of big-league time with the Mariners and A’s in 2023.

The 26-year-old McMillon has had some major-league success in a small sample and low-pressure role with a 1.69 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 16 innings in 2023 (Kansas City) and 2024 (Miami).

The Phillies signed Rangel, 27, to a minor-league deal last July and he appeared in 10 games for Lehigh Valley, starting five. He had big strikeout totals but high ERAs coming up through the Braves’ system the prior three years but high ERAs as well.

The Phils’ 40-man roster stands at 37 players. Any big-leaguers they acquire via trade or sign to guaranteed deals in free agency will have to be added, as will prospects the team seeks to protect from the Rule 5 draft.

Two pitchers in particular, Mick Abel and Moises Chace, are almost certain to be added to the 40 this month. Abel has not progressed the way the Phillies have hoped and he desperately needs to throw more strikes but they aren’t going to give up on their 2020 first-round pick. Chace was acquired at the trade deadline from Baltimore for Gregory Soto and struck out 124 batters in 80⅓ innings at Single A and Double A last season.

The deadline for teams to protect otherwise eligible prospects from the Rule 5 draft is November 19.