The Philadelphia Phillies have brought back right-handed reliever Jackson Rutledge on a minor league contract just days after releasing him in a roster-related transaction.
Rutledge, 27, was designated for assignment last week when Philadelphia needed to create room on the roster for Derek Hill. Because injured minor leaguers cannot be placed on outright waivers, the Phillies released him instead.
After spending a week as a free agent without being claimed, he has now rejoined the organization and is expected to report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The Phillies originally acquired Rutledge off waivers from the Washington Nationals in May and immediately assigned him to Triple-A.
He appeared in five innings for Lehigh Valley before suffering an injury, allowing four earned runs during that span.
Prior to joining Philadelphia, he made one major league appearance for Washington in 2026, giving up seven runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
A former first-round draft pick in 2019, Rutledge shifted to a full-time relief role last season after making limited big-league appearances in 2023 and 2024.
Across four MLB seasons, he owns a 6.29 ERA over 103 innings, with 21 home runs allowed and 34 walks issued.
After spending his entire major league career with Washington before the waiver claim, Rutledge posted a 5.77 ERA out of the Nationals’ bullpen last season and has also struggled at Triple-A, where he owns a 5.60 ERA over parts of four seasons.
Philadelphia will now hope the former top prospect can regain his footing and eventually work his way back into major league consideration.
