ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays made it official Tuesday: outfielder Brett Phillips is being traded to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for cash considerations.
On Monday, the team revealed it was designating Phillips for assignment in order to free up space on its 40-man roster.
Tuesday evening, the Rays posted a tribute video, thanking the 28-year-old for all his contributions. A native of Seminole, the Rays addressed their video to "the hometown kid."
Remembered by fans for his influential performances that helped the Rays reach the World Series in 2020, Phillips has struggled to remain as consistent of a high-level player for the franchise this season.
In a tweet filled with heartwarming photos, the Rays expressed their gratitude to Phillips for reminding the Tampa Bay area that baseball is "fun."
Back in April, 10 Tampa Bay told viewers how the Rays' season was already off to a sweet start when Phillips shared a special moment with an 8-year-old girl battling cancer for the second time. Chloe Grimes delivered the opening pitch in a win against the A's. She also handed Phillips, her favorite player, a bracelet that read "Rally for Chloe our Princess Warrior."
That was only the beginning of what became a heartwarming experience for every fan at Tropicana Field. During the third inning, Phillips launched a solo homer while Chloe was interviewing with sideline reporter Tricia Whitaker on the Bally Sports Sun broadcast.
At the time, Phillips said seeing Chloe shine through her cancer diagnosis brought perspective to his career and how he navigates through life treating everyone with love and respect.
As for the future of the Tampa Bay outfield, the Rays acquired Jose Siri from the Houston Astros in a three-team trade Monday.