Late Thursday night, the Philadelphia Phillies optioned infielder Otto Kemp to Triple-A. The Phillies are coming off a sweep of the San Diego Padres, and look to keep the winning ways intact in perhaps the biggest weekend series on the MLB slate, where Philadelphia will stay on its West Coast swing to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a NLDS rematch.
Before the Dodgers series, reports are surfacing that the Phillies are making a roster move, which will be the corresponding move for Otto Kemp’s demotion. Justin Wrobleski is set to get the start for the Dodgers on Friday evening in Dodger Stadium, and the Phils will send Zack Wheeler to the mound.
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Phillies Reportedly Set to Call Up Steward Berroa
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 24: Ceddanne Rafaela #43 of the Boston Red Sox tags out Steward Berroa #37 of the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at Fenway Park on June 24, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
It hasn’t been announced by the team officially yet, but a couple of Phillies reporters believe that Steward Berroa will be the corresponding move for the Otto Kemp news.
“The Phillies optioned Otto Kemp to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, team sources told The Athletic. They are expected to add Steward Berroa, a switch-hitting outfielder, to the active roster. Berroa was a waiver claim last month. He turns 27 in June and has 30 career games in the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers. He has a .761 OPS in 168 plate appearances in Triple A this season while mostly playing center field. Berroa probably will not play much for the Phillies, but he can provide speed and defense. That is not something the Phillies have had on their bench.”
It’s a late start time for Phillies fans on the East Coast, so there is no telling when the team will officially announce the move.
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Steward Berroa’s MLB Career
Steward Berroa has played in parts of just two MLB seasons over his career, Â but he is still just 26-years-old.
Despite seeing some offensive success in the minors, Berroa just doesn’t project well at the plate in MLB.
In 2024, he received 37 at-bats with the Toronto Blue Jays and batted .189 with one double and seven total hits. Last season, his stint in MLB was even more brief with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he recorded just five at-bats.
Otto Kemp wasn’t cutting it at the plate either, but the recalling of Steward Berroa is a move for depth purposes only.
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