PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies acquired utility man Ty Kelly from the Blue Jays for cash considerations Saturday, providing depth for their shorthanded four-man bench when the Marlins come to Philadelphia next week.
Kelly will travel to Philadelphia on Sunday, and will likely dress for Tuesday's game against Miami.
The move will remedy the team's short bench, the result of Howie Kendrick's oblique injury that Phillies general manager Matt Klentak now expects will keep Kendrick sidelined for two to three weeks from Saturday.
To make room for Kelly on the 40-man roster, the Phillies moved Clay Buchholz to the 60-day disabled list five days after he underwent successful surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his pitching arm.
"It's a good opportunity for Ty," Klentak said. "He's a switch-hitter, he can play multiple positions. I think he should be an excellent National League player."
Kelly had been placed on waivers twice this season. Each time, Klentak wanted to place a claim on him, but the Phillies' fully stocked 40-man roster prevented it.
The team could have called up a player from a 40-man roster packed to the brim with prospects instead of looking externally. But Klentak didn't want a short-term need on the Major League club to negatively impact the long-term growth of a prospect.
Jesmuel Valentin nearly played himself onto the 25-man roster in Spring Training, but was the final player cut. He's off to a hot start at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, hitting .333 with an .844 OPS, and could have been plucked to fill the hole.

"We definitely could have [called up a Minor Leaguer]," Klentak said. "We're constantly trying to balance what is the right thing for the Major League bench and what is the right thing for a player's development. And in [Valentin's] case, he's off to a really good start, and the more we can do to allow him to keep that going, the better."
Klentak and team president Andy MacPhail are familiar with Kelly from his early Minor League years in Baltimore, where the pair of Phillies front-office members previously worked together.
Kelly hit .328 with two home runs and 35 RBIs for Triple-A Las Vegas last season. He made his first career Opening Day roster this season with the Mets, striking out in his only at-bat.