PHILADELPHIA – Phillies manager Rob Thomson hoped calling up Felix Reyes might provide a “a little bit of a shot of energy” Saturday night against Atlanta.
Truthfully, he would’ve been happy to see anybody hit.
But Reyes smacked an opposite-field home run to right field in the second inning against Braves left-hander Chris Sale in the first plate appearance of his MLB career. Reyes is the seventh player in Phillies history to homer in his first MLB at-bat. Weston Wilson did it last, on Aug. 9, 2023.
Reyes’ homer handed the Phillies a 1-0 lead.
The Phillies promoted Reyes from Triple-A Lehigh Valley late Friday night. He replaced Otto Kemp, whom the Phils spent the entire offseason touting as their right-handed bat in a left-field platoon with Brandon Marsh.
To make room for Reyes on the 40-man roster, the Phillies released outfielder Pedro León.
Kemp lasted a little more than three weeks on the job, going 2-for-20 with one walk and nine strikeouts in 10 games before being optioned. He struggled in left field, a position he was learning on the fly.
In another year, perhaps the Phillies would exercise patience. But the Phillies are struggling, and their paltry numbers against left-handed pitching (.179 batting average, .555 OPS entering the day) are alarming.
So, Kemp took the fall.
“Well, it’s not his fault that we didn’t hit,” Thomson said. “It’s tough for him. I’ve said it many times, [it’s difficult] for a guy that doesn’t get consistent at-bats. He’s a young guy and he’s used to playing every day and now you’re playing sparingly. It’s tough.”
Reyes will be in the same position as Kemp, playing sparingly in left field with Marsh taking down most of the at-bats there. But Reyes was hitting the ball well in Triple-A, so the Phillies figured they would give him a chance.
Reyes slashed .333/.345/.654 with eight doubles, six home runs, 15 RBIs and a .999 OPS in 18 games with the IronPigs. He batted .303 (10-for-33) with three home runs in Spring Training. He won the 2025 Eastern League MVP Award, batting .335 with 34 doubles, four triples, 15 homers, 65 RBIs and a .937 OPS for Double-A Reading.
Reyes struck out 17 times and walked twice this year with the IronPigs. His chase rate (51.9 percent) in Triple-A is almost four points higher than Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has the highest chase rate (48 percent) in MLB.
Reyes took the first two pitches from Sale for balls, when Sale threw an elevated fastball over the heart of the plate.
Reyes didn’t miss it. He clapped enthusiastically as the ball cleared the right-field wall and he rounded first base. His helmet fell off his head before he reached second, as he waved to the relievers in the bullpen.