David Dombrowski gave Otto Kemp a lot to live up to this season when he repeatedly him for his versatility and playing through a host of injuries that were keeping him in pain for much of the 2025 season. So far, the healthy version of Kemp is living up to the billing as he added two hits, one of which was a first inning solo home run, and drove in two runs in the Phillies 7-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
Kemp, who is healthy coming into the season, is penciled in as the right-handed platoon player in left field, a position that he has not spent a lot of time playing. In nine Spring Training games, Kemp now has two home runs and has driven in six to go with a slash line of: .280/.357/.640/.997 for the Phillies. Defensively, he has had just eight chances on fly balls and has turned all eight of them into outs.
While he is not very experienced in left, the 26-year-old has been working with Paco Figueroa to pick up pointers on playing the outfield and has picked up the lessons very well. It’s likely that he will be lifted for a defensive replacement late in some close games, but he should be able to put up average defensive metrics.
The reigning Eastern League (Double-A) MVP, Felix Reyes, also hit a home run on Sunday. Reyes singled and scored a run in the sixth inning and an inning later hit a three-run home run to left center field for his first home run in 11 games this spring. He also doubled his RBI total to six with the blast. Reyes played first base for manager Rob Thomson and lifted his line to: .316/.316/.526/.842 in 19 plate appearances.
Reyes also stole third base, which put him in position to score on Kemp’s single in the sixth. Reyes’ 6’3″, 195-pound frame doesn’t look like that of a base stealer, but he was successful on 13 of 15 stolen base attempts last season at Double-A Reading.
Alan Rangel got the start for the Phillies and continued to struggle. The right-hander made it through three innings, but allowed three earned runs. The “good news” is that the outing did lower his ERA to 9.39. Rangel has made three starts and a relief appearance and has allowed at least one run in each of the outings. He is still scheduled to pitch for Mexico at some point in the WBC.
Kyle Backhus threw a shutout inning, allowing just a walk, to up his scoreless inning streak to four this spring. Alex McFarlane also threw a scoreless inning and now has thrown three scoreless innings with the Phillies. Lefty Tim Mayza threw a perfect inning and has turned his spring around in his last couple of outings after a tough start where he had allowed three earned runs in just 1.1 innings and with two scoreless outings since then, his ERA has dropped from 11.57 to 6.23.
Former Phillie Kody Clemens doubled, scored a run, and delivered a two-run triple against his old team. The triple was hit to center field and Justin Crawford had a long run and was in position to catch the ball on the run but lost the ball in the sun and it dropped past him for a triple.
Crawford hit leadoff on Sunday and opened the game by looking to bunt his way on, but was thrown out on the play. The Phillies have worked with the young center fielder on his bunting to give him another weapon to use with his speed. Crawford was 0-for-3 and is now batting .222.
Starter Mick Abel, who along with catching prospect Eduardo Tait, was dealt to Minnesota last July for closer Jhoan Duran, is off to a hot start. After struggling with the Twins late last season, Abel was sent back to Triple-A, but he has opened Spring Training with 10 shutout innings. The 24-year-old has been dominating in his three starts, allowing just five hits and no walks to go with 13 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .152 against him.
