The Main Event
- Garrett Stubbs (born 1993) – The veteran catcher has played in the majors for both Houston and Philadelphia after being drafted by the Astros in the eighth round of the 2015 Draft.
Garrett Stubbs has built a career that defies the traditional expectations placed on him coming out of college. Though he was never considered a top-tier prospect, his athleticism, defensive instincts, and versatility have kept him in professional baseball — and in Philadelphia’s plans — for over a decade.
Stubbs played college baseball for the USC Trojans, winning the Johnny Bench Award in 2015 as the nation’s best collegiate catcher. His senior season was exceptional by any measure. He batted .346 — sixth in the Pac-12 Conference — and tied for the conference lead in sacrifices while ranking third in steals, fifth in runs scored, and fifth in on-base percentage. On the defensive side, he threw out 52.8% of attempted basestealers and committed just three errors in 468 chances. He was also named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American by both Baseball America and Rawlings.
Despite those accolades, scouts tempered their enthusiasm. Stubbs lacked prototypical catcher size and was considered a possible durability risk for an everyday role. He was praised for his athleticism, energy, solid blocking, average speed, and base-running savvy, but was regarded as lacking power. Most evaluators slotted him as a senior sign and organizational depth piece who had the makeup to become something more. Pre-draft rankings among college catchers noted that he might not profile as a regular catcher, but his added value as a versatile super-sub made him an intriguing fit for a creative organization.
The Houston Astros selected Stubbs in the eighth round of the 2015 MLB Draft with the 229th overall pick, signing him for $100,000.
Stubbs worked his way methodically through the Astros system. Between High-A and Double-A in 2016, he posted a combined .304/.391/.469/.860 line in 86 games, appearing to be on a fast track. The 2017 season proved more difficult before he rebounded, and he made his MLB debut on May 28, 2019, at age 26, finally getting his big-league moment after years of patient development in the minors.
Finding a Home with the Philadelphia Phillies
Stubbs was traded to Philadelphia and has been the Phillies’ backup catcher behind J.T. Realmuto since 2022 with the exception of 2025 when he spent the majority of the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. As a backup, Stubbs has been a reliable presence, both behind the plate and as an increasingly flexible utility option. His best statistical season came in 2024, when he set single-season career highs in games (56), hits (34), and walks (17), also stealing a career-high five bases — tied for third in MLB among catchers that year.
One of the more unusual notes on Stubbs’s Phillies résumé involves his occasional appearances on the mound. When the Oakland Athletics routed Philadelphia 18-3, Stubbs was brought in to pitch in the ninth inning, and Zack Gelof hit a grand slam off him — reportedly the first-ever grand slam by a Jewish batter off a Jewish position player, according to the Jewish Baseball Museum.
Team Israel and International Play
Stubbs has embraced his Jewish heritage through international competition. He represented Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, playing third base in deference to Israel’s veteran catcher Ryan Lavarnway. One of his most memorable moments came when his go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning off Jonathan Loáisiga lifted Israel to a 3-1 victory over Nicaragua — a win that secured the team’s automatic qualification for the next WBC. Stubbs was back with Team Israel again in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Philadelphia Baseball Events for May 26
- May 26, 1932 – at Cleveland’s spacious Municipal Stadium with a Sunday afternoon game attracting 73,592 patrons to witness Philadelphia’s 1-0 victory over the hometown Indians, a contest that took only an hour and fifty minutes to complete.
- May 26, 1933 – Chuck Klein hits for the cycle for the second time in his career as a Phillie, but the Phils lose to St. Louis 5-4 in 14 innings.
- May 26, 1950 – The Philadelphia Athletics make some changes as a result of a front office coup. Connie Mack‘s son, Earle, who has been assistant manager, assumes the duties of chief scout. Earle, who had hoped to succeed his father as manager, is replaced by Jimmy Dykes. Mickey Cochrane is named general manager.
- May 26, 1956 – Al Simmons dies in Milwaukee, at the age of 54. A former Philadelphia Athletics All-Star outfielder, Simmons hit .334 with 307 home runs and 1827 RBI in a 20-season major league career that included stints with six other teams besides the A’s. Simmons had gained induction into the Hall of Fame in 1953.
- May 26, 1966 – The Phils drop a 1-0, 14-inning game to San Francisco, setting a team record for longest one-run game.
- May 26, 1970 – Trailing Montreal 1-0 in the ninth with runners on first and second, Byron Browne hit a ball to right field that was trapped by Rusty Staub. Jim Hutto, who had pinch-hit for Larry Bowa, was the runner on first and stopped, thinking the ball was caught. Browne passed him on the basepaths and was called out. The next batter, Tony Taylor, hit a fly to deep center that Montreal center fielder Adolfo Phillips missed. Taylor circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run and a 3-1 Phillies lead in the top of the ninth. Dick Selma gave up a two out home run to John Bateman in the bottom of the ninth, but the Phillies held on for a 3-2 win.
- May 26, 1970 – Acquired Bobby Pfeil from the Mets to compete an earlier trade that sent minor leaguer Ron Allen to New York. Allen never did play in the majors for the Phillies or Mets, but played in seven games and hit .091 (1-11) in seven games with the 1972 Cardinals. Pfeil played in 44 games and hit .271 for the ’71 Phillies.
- May 26, 1990 – Nearly 57,000 fans pack Veterans Stadium to see Mike Schmidt‘s number retired. Schmidt was given a number of gifts including a trip around the world with his family and a gold and diamond pin in the shape of the number 20. On the field, the Phils lost 12-3 to the Braves, who gave Schmidt a five years’ supply of golf balls.
- May 26, 2002 – Traded Cliff Politte to Toronto for Dan Plesac. Politte pitched three-plus seasons for the Phillies and was 9-6 with a 3.93 ERA as both a starter and reliever. Plesac, a left-handed reliever, spent his final two MLB seasons pitching for the Phillies and went 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA.
- May 26, 2023 – Craig Kimbrel becomes the eighth pitcher to record 400 career saves in Philadelphia’s 6 – 4 win over the Braves, barely two weeks after Kenley Jansen became the seventh.
- May 26, 2023 – Claimed Cal Stevenson off waivers from San Francisco. Stevenson played in just 23 games with the Phillies in 2024 and 2025, hitting a combined .250. Stevenson is currently playing at Triple-A Toledo in the Detroit organization.
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Philadelphia Baseball Birthdays for May 26
- Gene Paulette (born 1891) – Played in 210 games for the 1919 and 1920 Phillies, appearing as a first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, and outfielder. Paulette hit .280/.327/.339 with Philadelphia.
- Ricky Jordan (born 1965) – A Phillies first baseman for seven seasons, Jordan hit 54 home runs and drove in 300 with a batting line of .282/.308/.425/.733 in 662 games.
- Travis Lee (born 1975) – Came to the Phillies in the deal that sent Curt Schilling to Arizona. Lee had been a first round pick of Minnesota in 1996 and played three seasons and 366 games with the Phillies over three seasons. Overall, he played nine seasons in the majors with Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees in addition to Arizona and Philadelphia.
- Alex Binelas (born 2000) – The Phillies minor league corner infielder is currently with Double-A Reading.
- Luis Avila (born 2003) – Signed by the Phillies as an international free agent in 2022, the right-handed reliever is currently with Jersey Shore (High-A).
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