Phillies' decision to cast off struggling player is looking very bad

Kody Clemens, son of seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, had been mired in an endless struggle since his debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2022. Clemens experienced the height of his young MLB career in 2023, when he posted a .230 batting average with four home runs as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, not really a memorable high point.

Coming into his third year with the Phillies and with no minor-league options left, Clemens was placed on a rather tight leash. After going 0-for-6 in just seven games, the Phillies lost their patience and decided to DFA him. Shortly after, he was picked up by the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations. His final slash line over three years with the Phillies stands at .220/.265/.394 with nine home runs. Now, the decision to DFA Clemens is tormenting the Phillies.

Since joining the Twins, the 29-year-old utilityman has caught fire, slashing .279/.362/.639 and matching his career-high five home runs in just half the at-bats it previously took him. Not only that, but Clemens has played hero a few times during his brief stretch in Minneapolis, having drilled a walk-off double and mashed a few go-ahead home runs. 

Since Clemens first donned his Twins jersey, Minnesota has thrived, winning 19 of its past 27 games, including a remarkable 13-game winning streak that has thrusted it back into contention. 

No one could have expected Clemens to suddenly become one of the best hitters in the game overnight. At least, this is one thing the Phillies and their fan base wasn’t counting on. Whether something just naturally clicked, or the Twins fixed what the Phillies couldn’t, it appears Philadelphia made a tremendous mistake.

And with the continued struggles of Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler, the Phillies could have certainly used someone of Clemens’ abilities.