5 Phillies Who Don’t Belong on the 40-Man Roster

2. Jake Cave

Disclaimer — I’m not the biggest fan of Cave, but the Phillies like what the veteran brings as a depth outfielder, who is left-handed and has some power in his swing.

The 31-year-old outfielder hit .212 with five home runs and 21 RBI last season with the Phillies. Cave will get some opportunities to prove that he belongs on the 40-man roster, as Brandon Marsh underwent arthroscopic knee surgery earlier this month. However, Marsh is expected to be out for 3-4 weeks.

Cave spent the first five years of his career with the Minnesota Twins before latching on with the Phillies in 2023 after an impressive Spring Training, where he slashed .462/.500/.827 with three home runs and 14 RBI. He also had four doubles and three triples.

And when the Phillies sent him down to Lehigh Valley, Cave tore the ball off the cover, slugging .346 with 16 home runs and 49 RBI.

The Phillies would love to see a similar statline from Cave this spring as they try to figure out the outfielder situation. 

3. Kaleb Ort

Ort was added to the Phillies’ 40-man roster on Tuesday after they designated infielder Diego Castillo for assignment.

The 32-year-old relief pitcher has struggled thus far in the majors, with a career 6.27 ERA in 51.2 innings. 

Last season with the Red Sox, Ort recorded a 6.26 ERA in 21 games, allowing six home runs, 16 earned runs, and 27 hits (23 innings). He also allowed opponents to hit .290 at the plate, which isn’t spectacular at the major league level.

However, when you look at his numbers in the minor leagues last season, it’s a stark contrast from what we saw from Ort with the Red Sox. Last season with Worcester, the 32-year-old had a 1.54 ERA, giving up one home run, two earned runs, and eight hits in 11 games (11.2 innings).

If he wants to stick on the 40-man roster, he’ll need to pitch like the guy we saw in Triple-A and not in the majors last season with the Red Sox.