Phillies officially release 32-year-old fan favorite catcher for Opening Day roster
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Phillies officially release 32-year-old fan favorite catcher for Opening Day roster originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia Phillies have a very strong roster entering the 2026 MLB season. Their bullpen is better than ever, and their starting rotation, despite being without Zack Wheeler and Ranger Suarez, is still very strong.
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When it comes to the lineup, while it's mostly the same one as last year, Justin Crawford and Adolis Garcia are new faces. But that's not the only change for the Phillies with the lineup this season.
As Devan Kaney of 94 WIP shared on Twitter/x, the Phillies official press release for the Opening Day roster revealed that 32-year-old fan favorite catcher Garrett Stubbs has been designated for assignment by the Phillies after failing to find a trade partner.
Phillies officially DFA Garrett Stubbs
In the Phillies official Opening Day roster announcement, they revealed that "Catcher Garrett Stubbs was designated for assignment."
Stubbs' release was expected, but it's now become official. The Phillies are sticking with Rafael Marchan as the backup for J.T. Realmuto this season, once again choosing Marchan over Stubbs.
The 32-year-old catcher has been designated for assignment, and while he could remain in the Phillies organization, there could be a team willing to take a chance on Stubbs.
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But, in the meantime, the Phillies' decision to cut ties with Stubbs is not a surprise. He doesn't have a clear fit on the roster, and isn't worth trying to keep either.
This spring, he had a .700 OPS in 11 games, and in his career in the Majors, he has a .603 OPS across 203 games played.
In the minor leagues last year, Stubbs posted a solid .754 OPS, which is part of why the Phillies would likely be okay with him returning to the team in the minors.
But, when it comes to an MLB roster spot, Stubbs, for the second year in a row, has lost out on that job to Marchan.
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