Kingery to start season in the minors
Scott Kingery’s prodigious rise to the big leagues nearly bypassed Triple-A.
Four years later, that’s where Kingery is headed to resuscitate his career.
The infielder was optioned to the Phillies’ alternate training site Sunday, with pitcher JoJo Romero and catcher Rafael Marchan. For the first time since his MLB debut in 2018, Kingery won’t start a season with the big club.
“Scott has been working hard to make some swing adjustments,” Joe Girardi said via Zoom Sunday. “He’s played strictly center field while he’s here and he’s made some progress, but we think there’s more progress to be made.
He’s worked really hard. We really have a lot of belief in Scott Kingery; we’re just trying to get him back to where he’s a linedrive, doubles hitter who runs into some home runs and uses the whole field.”
Kingery played 63 games at Triple-A in 2017, rocketing up the ranks to the major leagues and a six-year, $24 million contract before he’d appeared in a big-league game. But that trajectory has stalled for a variety of reasons, including a bout with COVID-19 last year, a slew of minor injuries (including back spasms just when he was starting to figure things out in 2020) and a peripatetic career that has included playing four different positions, none for very long, under the dreaded “superutility” label.
That his swing has developed holes, in an all-or-nothing era for a 5-10, 180-pounder, shouldn’t be a surprise.
Neither, to manager Joe Girardi, is that the organization maintains a high level of confidence in the 2015 second-round draft pick.
“When he’s putting the ball in play and he’s hitting the gaps, he’s a dynamic player,” Girardi said. “I look at how he took to center field and I know he’s played some, but his routes are excellent. He covers a ton of ground. I look at how he turns a double play at second base, I’m extremely impressed. There’s a lot of tools here, and I believe he’s an All-Star. If he gets back to hitting the way he was before, I believe he’s an All-Star.”
Kingery has shown flashes. He hit 19 home runs in 2019, batting .258. But he never found his feet last year, limited to 36 games. He had three homers, eight extra-base hits and six RBIs, batting .159. He’s got 308 strikeouts in 309 big league games.
Spring was no better, despite Kingery coming in 12 to 15 pounds lighter and leaner. He’s batting .159 (7-for-44) with a homer, three RBIs, 19 strikeouts and four walks in 15 games.
He’s also never lighted on a permanent position. He was displaced from the second base gig he won last year by Jean Segura. This year, Kingery figured to be the fill-in as Alec Bohm and Rhys Hoskins moved around the diamond, unable to win the open center field job. To start the season, Kingery won’t be in the mix, Girardi hoping he’s able to “create habits” at Triple-A, including a rebuilt swing.
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With Romero going down, Girardi will start the season with one left-hander, Jose Alvarado, in his bullpen. It’s no fault of Romero’s, who allowed nine hits, one earned run and struck out eight against four walks in 8.2 innings.
“It was a tough decision,” Girardi said. “JoJo and (Sam) Coonrod were in that conversation. I think JoJo has a chance to be an elite reliever, but I think he has to be more economical. I think he needs to get ahead some more and I think he’s got really, really good stuff. He’s got three swing-andmiss pitches, but there’s still a little more he can do with his command to be successful.”
Girardi is confident that reverse splits from several righties — among them Archie Bradley, Connor Brogdon and Hector Neris — can compensate for a lack of lefties. Girardi instead prioritized taking two relievers who can provide length, including Vince Velasquez as the default sixth starter.
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NOTES >> Ronald Torreyes is heading north with the ballclub, Girardi said, as a utility infielder. He provides insurance for the waitand-see mode on where Brad Miller is. … The center field decision will wait until at least Monday, with Roman Quinn recovering from food poisoning. Odubel Herrera went 0-for-3 Sunday against the Yankees