Phillies Trade INF Scott Kingery to Angels

[Squire]

...for cash considerations

https://x.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1852399283015954750

[Jazzhead]

Good for Scott. I hope he gets the shot he didn't get with the Phils.

[zambonir]

Confusing. MLBTR already says he's not being added to the Angels 40 so is he really not finally a minor league free agent? Or maybe they are wrong about that and the Angels do plan to add and tender him?

[julio]

The mlb.com story says this:

Although the guaranteed portion of Kingery’s contract has expired, it contains club options for 2025 and '26.

The Phils bought out the 2024 club option in Kingery's contract. This statement implies that each option year had to be separately bought out? This would mean that the Angels have control of Kingery through 2026, if they're willing to pony up the annual club option buyout (which I believe is $1 million each year)?

[zambonir]

Yeah I would have thought that buying the contract out in Year 1 voided any subsequent options, since he was no longer playing on that contract. He pocketed his $1 million but the Phillies still controlled his rights so he was on a standard minor league deal (and not even at the 40-man salary).

Guess we'll see if he really stays with the Angels if that is true, seems a high price to pay for a minor leaguer though perhaps they are committed to putting him on the 40 eventually and just don't have to until much later.

Is it possible that he simply doesn't have six years of minor league service time, since the years he was in the majors only (and/or 2020) don't count?

[julio]

Is it possible that he simply doesn't have six years of minor league service time, since the years he was in the majors only (and/or 2020) don't count?

No. The standard contract specifies seven seasons, but doesn't exclude major-league seasons.

[zambonir]

Yeah but 2023 was his 9th season (8th if 2020 doesn't count). So I feel like that was already the loophole that kept him from reaching free agency before this past year.

[andyb]

This is just a weird transaction. Maybe Kingery had talked to the Angels and wanted to go there anyway because he would be put on the 40-man roster. Can't imagine much actual cash is involved here. More finding a place where a player wants to go even if he could have done it via free agency.

[zambonir]

This was Gelb last year:

Scott Kingery remains in the organization despite the Phillies paying him $1 million to decline a $13 million club option. Kingery reverted to his original minor-league status, which means the Phillies control his rights for one more year. Additionally, the Phillies decided to place Kingery on their Triple-A reserve list, which means he cannot be selected in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 draft.

Phillies’ shopping list includes righty reliever, starter: 2024 roster...

Zolecki didn't mention any details at all in his story on the trade, and I don't necessarily think the Angels MLB writer knows/understands it either. But we'll find out eventually!

[Matt_Winkelman]

My understanding of Kingery's contract situation is that he not achieved 7 years of minor league service prior to this year, which is really hard to do without actually being released or non-tendered. He is now at that point and will be a minor league free agent on 11/4 if he is not added to the 40 man roster, which presumably the Angels will do. I believe he will then be arb eligible, but also presumably he will be signed to a contract of some sort rather than the arb process.

Based on how the Phillies work generally, they probably thought he would be depth and a good influence in 2024 and have been working with him and other teams to find him an opportunity. I doubt he would have gotten a MLB deal had he reached free agency.

[zambonir]

Kingery was indeed added to the Angels 40 on November 4.

[LoneStarPhan]

I can't help thinking back to March of 2018. My wife and I were at a spring training game at Clearwater and as the Phillies' players were warming up prior to the game, I said to my wife that Kingery was going to be a big star for the Phillies. Shortly after that game, the Phillies signed him to the six year ML contract. I really don't know what happened to him. Some say the Phillies rushed him or didn't give him a set position, but he had extended chances to make it and always disappointed. He seemed to be the sure fire prospect who was going to be in the Phillies' lineup for many years.

[zambonir]

And:

Angels, Scott Kingery Avoid Arbitration

I think it was the injuries and the COVID in 2020 as much as the jagged development path prior to that. But mostly, that's how it goes for most players. The contract put a spotlight on him but it's not like he was a bigger failure than Domonic Brown or Adam Haseley (or anyone that never made it at all including the guy drafted a round ahead of him). He could still end up having a few good years, whether it's as a 400 AB utility guy or a surprise starter. The quirk of his contract/history, the fact that this front office didn't sign him and the fact that the Phillies were competing at the highest level made it hard to catch another shot, even though so many of his non-40 teammates got one.