Phillies add former All-Star Matt Joyce on MiLB contract
As the Philadelphia Phillies continued to tweak their lineup a week before their pitchers and catchers report in Florida, they added a former All-Star and presumed potential bench bat on a minor-league contract. But Matt Joyce, lately of the Marlins, may be more.
When the team announced Joyce’s signing on the afternoon of Feb. 10, they picked up a player who posted his career best batting average (.295) in a bench role with Atlanta in 2019. However, the Phillies might also have a couple other matters in mind in adding Joyce to the competition for a roster spot this spring.
The question is: How much can the Phillies get from Matt Joyce?
Joyce is now 36, will turn 37 this coming August, and if he makes the MLB All-Star team this summer, he will have put nine years between his two appearances in funny jerseys. That seems unlikely, but the Phillies could have more than vague plans for using Joyce to spell Andrew McCutchen in left field, and even as a replacement here and there for the centerfielder du jour this summer.
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If he makes the team, Joyce will surely also spell Bryce Harper in his best position, right field.
The Phillies plans for most starting positions are now set for this year, some in concrete, but there are no fewer than four players who could play in centerfield for Philadelphia this year, not counting Joyce. That is half the number of Joyce’s total appearances in center field, true, but he hasn’t made an error there yet.
The Phillies could also use a left-handed hitter with some power, and this phrase describes Joyce, assuming he is not on the steep part of a declining late career. This player once hit 25 home runs (for Oakland in ’17), and he has posted quite decent OPS figures fairly late in his career despite playing part-time: .866 in Pittsburgh in ’16, .808 in ’17, and .858 in ’19.
Joyce has slowed as an outfielder as he’s aged, but as late as the Marlins Wild Card Series Game 2 last season he made a quite impressive throw from right to nail a Cubs runner at home.
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It says here Matt Joyce has a better than average chance to make the Phillies primarily because he hits left-handed.