The Philadelphia Phillies have recently built a reputation for turning overlooked pitchers into valuable contributors, with arms such as Jeff Hoffman and Cristopher Sánchez emerging as unexpected success stories. This season, the club attempted another reclamation project by taking a chance on former Washington Nationals first-round pick Jackson Rutledge. However, this latest experiment failed to produce the desired results, leading the Phillies to move on from the right-hander last week.
Rutledge had been sidelined with an undisclosed injury and had not appeared in a game since May 28. During his brief stint with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he made only five appearances.
Selected 19th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft out of San Jacinto College, Rutledge entered professional baseball with significant expectations. Standing 6-foot-8, the hard-throwing right-hander was viewed as a potential starting pitcher or high-leverage bullpen arm thanks to a powerful fastball and sharp slider. However, injuries slowed his development, costing him considerable time during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He eventually debuted in the majors in 2023, appearing in four games, before making only three big-league appearances in 2024.
His first extended opportunity in the majors came last season, but the results were disappointing. Across 73 1/3 innings, Rutledge recorded a 5.77 ERA while allowing 87 hits and 16 home runs. He also struck out only 65 batters. His lone major league outing this season was even more troubling, as he surrendered seven runs on six hits and two walks while recording just four outs.
The Phillies claimed the 27-year-old off waivers in early May and assigned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, hoping a change of scenery could unlock his potential. Instead, the struggles persisted. In five innings with the IronPigs, Rutledge allowed four earned runs on five hits while issuing three walks.
His designation for assignment came as the corresponding roster move after the Phillies acquired Derek Hill from the Chicago White Sox following Adolis García’s injury.
Ultimately, Philadelphia’s front office appeared to conclude there was little more it could do to revive Rutledge’s career, designating him for assignment last Thursday. Unsurprisingly, no club claimed the injured right-hander.
While there remains a possibility Rutledge could return to the organization after being removed from the 40-man roster, he currently appears to be outside the Phillies’ plans. Rather than becoming another Philadelphia pitching success story, the former first-round pick now faces a much longer path toward getting his career back on track.