Ex-Phillies Infielder: New Coaches Put Him ‘In a Tough Position to Succeed’
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The Philadelphia Phillies raised eyebrows in March 2018 when they signed infielder Scott Kingery, one of their top prospects, to a six-year, $24 million contract extension. Kingery was 23 at the time and had yet to play a game in the majors.
Such contracts usually benefit one side or the other, rarely both. In the case of Kingery, he was the clear winner.
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The Phillies got two full seasons of production from Kingery in 2018-19, when he saw time at seven positions, hit 27 home runs, drove in 90, and hit .242.
From 2020-23, Kingery’s contract called for him to make $21.5 million. He played only 52 major league games over the four seasons before Philadelphia bought out his remaining option years for an additional $1 million.
Scott Kingery #4 and Rhys Hoskins #17 of the Philadelphia Phillies walk off the field prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park on April 10, 2018 in Philadelphia. Scott Kingery #4 and Rhys Hoskins #17 of the Philadelphia Phillies walk off the field prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park on April 10, 2018 in Philadelphia. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Now, as he prepares for his first major league spring training with the Los Angeles Angels, Kingery opened up about what went wrong in Philadelphia.
The 30-year-old told Sam Blum of The Athletic that the Phillies’ regime change in 2019-20, when Joe Girardi replaced Gabe Kapler as manager, was a difficult adjustment for him.
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“After Kapler was gone, some new guys came in,” Kingery told Blum. “We didn’t quite agree on hitting philosophy and the way I went about my swing. I felt like I was put in a tough position to succeed the way I wanted to.
“I just felt like I was being pulled in a couple different directions. I got out of the ways that made me successful.”
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Kingery will compete for plate appearances in an Angels camp that is loaded with faded stars. In the last week, Los Angeles has reportedly come to terms with former All-Star Tim Anderson and journeyman slugger J.D. Davis on minor league contracts.
Kingery is more versatile defensively than either Anderson or Davis, which could give him an advantage in camp. Two Angels infielders ended last season on the injured list with ailments that required surgery.
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Luis Rengifo, who’s filled a utility role with the Angels since his 2019 debut, had season-ending surgery on his right wrist in Aug. 2024. Shortstop Zach Neto is recovering from surgery on his right shoulder last November, giving Kingery another possible path to playing time in 2025.
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