Brett Phillips might hardly cease smiling.
Yes, he was excited to be becoming a member of an Orioles group preventing for a playoff spot — the 28-year-old outfielder was Baltimore’s lone commerce deadline acquisition when his hometown Tampa Bay Rays traded him for money after designating him for project. But pleasure can be Phillips’ pure state of being.
“This is just who I’ve always been,” Phillips stated Wednesday within the Orioles’ dugout at Globe Life Field. “If I’m ever frowning, you realize one thing have to be [making me] actually upset, as a result of I’m attending to play Major League Baseball.
“I just love showing up to the ballpark. How can I not?”
The Orioles bought common seems to be at Phillips as he performed for considered one of their American League East foes within the Rays, who Phillips had performed for since 2020. But he was hitting .147 with a .475 OPS this season, and when Tampa Bay acquired outfielder José Siri from the Houston Astros as a part of Monday’s three-team deal that noticed the Orioles ship Trey Mancini to Houston, the Rays eliminated Phillips from their 40-man roster.
Baltimore traded for him the subsequent day, keen on his protection, pace and left-handed bat. The Orioles additionally added a participant who has been at his greatest towards them, with a .973 OPS in 40 profession matchups towards Baltimore. At Camden Yards, Phillips has posted an .892 OPS in 22 video games, saying he sees the ball effectively there and has “a good feel in the box.”
He referred to as new Orioles teammates Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins “absolute studs” for his or her defensive talents within the outfield, and he seems to be ahead to chasing down fly balls with them if supervisor Brandon Hyde deploys the trio within the outfield directly.
“I respect the heck out of other guys who can go and get it and who take a lot of pride in their defensive work,” Phillips stated. “We’re gonna save a lot of runs for our boys.”
Executive vp and normal supervisor Mike Elias additionally famous Phillips’ fame across the sport as a “wonderful teammates and clubhouse guy.” That was evident as Phillips arrived within the Orioles’ clubhouse Wednesday morning, greeting a number of new teammates like previous associates with smiles, excessive fives and hugs. To add Phillips to the energetic roster, Baltimore optioned Yusniel Diaz, the previous high prospect who struck out in his lone at-bat in Tuesday’s main league debut, again to Triple-A.
In becoming a member of Baltimore, Phillips left a group the Orioles are chasing for a wild-card spot. He marveled on the reality they have been in that place, given the struggles he’s seen from the opposite facet lately.
“The energy, the way these guys are playing baseball, I mean, it’s night and day from last year, last couple of years, and I’m excited to be joining,” Phillips stated. “I’d be lying if I wasn’t. But it’s a new opportunity for me, and it’s something that I always just stay positive and try and make the most out of. So I’m here and I’m looking to win a World Series with the Baltimore Orioles. That would be freaking awesome.”
He got here near doing so with the Rays in 2020, delivering a walk-off single in Game 4 towards the Los Angeles Dodgers and sprinting across the area as his teammates chased him.
“I think that Brandon is going to be able to plug him into spots where he can impact a game,” Elias stated. “He’s got some tools that when deployed at the right place in the right time kind of make him an impact player.”
When he arrived on the ballpark Wednesday, Phillips first went into Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde’s workplace and instructed him it doesn’t matter what function he could be in, he would play onerous. Hyde already knew that, seeing the joy he delivered to the ballpark every day with the Rays.
“He just came as advertised, in that he’s going to give you everything he’s got,” Hyde stated. “You feel the energy with which he plays. He plays super hard. You look at those Tampa highlights against us, he’s high-fiving, he’s out in the on-deck circle practically when they score. He’s just into the game and excited for teammates, and we’re excited to have him.”
And Phillips, in fact, is worked up, too.
“It’s been a whirlwind of emotions, first time, kind of going through that DFA process,” Phillips stated. “I’m a firm believer in everything happening for a reason. And, for me, this is where God has me. And I’m going to come in here and bring the energy, and through all those emotions the last day or two, I’m excited. I really am excited to be a Baltimore Oriole.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com