The Phillies announced that J.T. Realmuto was activated from the 10-day injured list, as the catcher returns after a minimal stint due to back spasms. To create room on the active roster, utilityman Dylan Moore was designated for assignment.
Moore is still looking for his first hit of the 2026 season, as he has gone 0-for-12 with three walks over 15 plate appearances. Moore started only one of his 15 games for Philadelphia, with most of his action coming as a late-game pinch-hitter, defensive sub, or even two mop-up appearances on the mound.
Without much playing time to be offered, Moore became expendable upon Realmuto’s return, even if the Phillies now have three catchers on the 26-man roster. Backup catchers Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs are both out of minor league options, so rather than DFA either and risk losing them on waivers, the Phils preferred to designate Moore.
Signed to a minor league contract during the offseason, Moore triggered the opt-out clause at the end of Spring Training. The Phillies retained the utilityman by signing Moore to a one-year Major League deal worth $1.45MM in guaranteed money, and the Phils will remain on the hook for the roughly $1.19MM remaining unless Moore is claimed on waivers. If Moore clears waivers, he has enough MLB service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency. Should he then sign elsewhere, his new team would owe him only a prorated MLB minimum salary for any time spent on a 26-man roster, and that minimum salary would be subtracted from Philadelphia’s $1.19MM total.
Moore’s defensive versatility makes him an interesting potential waiver claim, and it wasn’t long ago that he was also posting above-average offensive numbers in a part-time capacity with the Mariners. Since Opening Day 2025, however, Moore has hit only .190/.264/.355 over 258 PA for the Mariners, Rangers, and Phillies.
