PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies spent the offseason touting Otto Kemp as their right-handed bat in a left-field platoon.
But Kemp lasted less than a month in the role.
The Phillies optioned Kemp to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, replacing him with IronPigs slugger Felix Reyes. Kemp was 2-for-20 with one walk and nine strikeouts in 10 games. He struggled in left field, a position he was learning on the fly. In another year, perhaps the Phillies would exercise patience with Kemp. But they are struggling overall, and especially against left-handed pitching.
“Well, it’s not his fault that we didn’t hit,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said before Saturday night’s game against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. “It’s tough for him. I’ve said it many times, [it’s difficult] for a guy that doesn’t get consistent at-bats. He’s a young guy and he’s used to playing every day and now you’re playing sparingly. It’s tough.”
Reyes will be in the same position as Kemp, playing sparingly in left field next to center fielder Brandon Marsh. But Reyes is hitting the ball well in Triple-A, so the Phillies figured they would give him a chance.
“Maybe this gives us a little bit of a shot of energy,” Thomson said.
It didn’t take long for Reyes to do just that. In his first career at-bat, the righty sent a 2-0 fastball from 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale 348 feet out to right field for his first career home run. He became the seventh player in Phillies franchise history to go yard in his first career at-bat, joining Wes Wilson (2023), Marlon Anderson (1998), Ricky Jordan (1988), Ed Sanicki (1949), Heinie Mueller (1938) and Bill Duggleby (1898).
Reyes slashed .333/.345/.654 with eight doubles, six home runs, 15 RBIs and a .999 OPS in 18 games with the IronPigs. He batted .303 (10 for 33 ) with three home runs in Spring Training. He won the 2025 Eastern League MVP Award, batting .335 with 34 doubles, four triples, 15 homers, 65 RBIs and a .937 OPS for Double-A Reading.
Reyes struck out 17 times and walked twice this year with the IronPigs. His chase rate (51.9 percent) in Triple-A is almost four points higher than Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has the highest chase rate (48 percent) in MLB.
To make room for Reyes on the 40-man roster, the Phillies released outfielder Pedro León.
