The Phillies have claimed left-handed pitcher Josh Fleming off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays today.
Phillies President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski made the announcement.
Fleming, 27, made 12 appearances (3 starts) for Tampa Bay this past season and went 2-0 with a 4.70 ERA (27 ER, 51.2 IP), 19 walks and 25 strikeouts. He held lefties to a .191 average and posted a ground ball rate of 61.6 percent, which placed him in the 98th percentile among all major league pitchers according to Statcast data.
As a reliever, Fleming has gone 11-5 with one save and a 3.73 ERA (48 ER, 115.2 IP) in 33 career relief appearances. The Bridgeton, Mo., native has also appeared in four career postseason games, including two games for the American League Champion Rays in 2020 and another two appearances in the 2021 ALDS against the Boston Red Sox.
Over his major league career, Fleming has gone 19-13 with a 4.88 ERA (121 ER, 223.1 IP), 69 walks and 144 strikeouts in 55 games (22 starts) all for the Rays (2020-23). He was originally selected by Tampa Bay in the fifth round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Webster University (MO).
Additionally, left-handed pitcher Michael Plassmeyer and right-handed pitcher Erich Uelmen were outrighted to triple-A Lehigh Valley.
