Phegley's agency, Pro Star Management, announced Wednesday that the 32-year-old catcher has elected to retire from professional baseball.
The agency cited "family considerations and business opportunities" as factors in Phegley's decision to end his playing career. The veteran backstop saw big-league action in each of the last eight seasons, accruing a career .225/.268/.381 slash line to go with 35 home runs over 388 games with the White Sox, Athletics and Cubs.
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Cubs' Josh Phegley: Returns to roster
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Phegley's contract from their alternate training site Wednesday ahead of Game 1 of the team's wild-card series with the Marlins, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Chicago designated reliever Josh Osich for assignment to make room on the 40-man and active rosters for Phegley. The 32-year-old is expected to serve as the No. 3 backstop behind Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini for the duration of the Cubs' postseason run.
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Cubs' Josh Phegley: Outrighted off 40-man
Rotowire
Phegley cleared waivers and was assigned outright to the Cubs' alternate training site Thursday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
The Cubs decided to stop carrying three catchers after trading for Jose Martinez, so Phegley was designated for assignment and went unclaimed. He will serve as organizational catching depth going forward.
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Cubs' Josh Phegley: Bumped off roster
Rotowire
The Cubs designated Phegley for assignment Sunday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Phegley has seen little work this season as the Cubs' No. 3 catcher, so he was a logical option to bump off the 40-man roster and 28-man active roster to clear room for designated hitter Jose Martinez, who was acquired from the Rays on Sunday. Given that he has eight years of MLB catching experience, Phegley could have some appeal on the waiver wire for teams looking for veteran depth behind the dish.
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Cubs' Josh Phegley: Gets second start of season
Rotowire
Phegley will serve as the Cubs' designated hitter and will bat seventh in the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Cardinals.
Phegley has been with the Cubs since Opening Day, but he'll be making his second start of the season Monday, both of which have come as a designated hitter. He doesn't appear destined to handle even a part-time role unless the Cubs lose one of their top catchers (Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini) for an extended period.
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Cubs' Josh Phegley: Earns roster spot
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Phegley's contract Thursday, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
The addition of Phegley to the 40-man roster and 30-man Opening Day roster gives the Cubs a third catcher behind Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini. If both of the options ahead of him on the depth chart stay healthy throughout the 60-game season, Phegley likely won't be in store for anything more than one start per week.
Phegley will be a part of the Cubs' 60-man player pool this season.
Phegley gives the Cubs a veteran catching option behind starter Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini. MLB teams will also be able to travel with three-player "taxi squads" this season in addition to their regular 30-man rosters, and Phegley is a likely option for the taxi squad, giving the Cubs insurance behind the plate during road trips.
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Cubs' Josh Phegley: Option for taxi squad
Rotowire
Phegley is an option for the Cubs' three-player "taxi squad" for road trips when the regular season begins next month, Tim Stebbins of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
MLB teams will be afforded 30 players when the abbreviated season gets underway, along with three taxi squad players who can get added to the roster in case changes are needed while on the road. Chicago has Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini as options behind the plate, so Phegley may be squeezed out of a regular roster spot. However, the veteran gives the Cubs solid depth in case a need arises. By rule, a full three-player taxi squad will also be required to have at least one catcher, which lends credence to the notion that this is where Phegley will start the season.
Cubs' Josh Phegley: Competing for 26th roster spot
Rotowire
Phegley is one of several candidates for the Cubs' final roster spot out of spring training, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Chicago manager David Ross could go a few different ways with the new 26th roster spot, and pegging Phegley as the third catcher is an option. The 32-year-old is having a nice spring with a 1.081 OPS and two home runs in eight games. Being a third catcher isn't particularly fantasy friendly, though Phegley did post new career highs with 12 home runs and 62 RBI in 106 games for Oakland last year, so he could produce if playing time comes his way.
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Cubs' Josh Phegley: Homers Monday
Rotowire
Phegley went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run in Monday's Cactus League win over the Mariners.
It's a nice highlight for Phegley, who is battling for a reserve roster spot this spring behind starting catcher Willson Contreras. Victor Caratini is also in the backstop mix, but because he plays some at first base as well, the Cubs could elect to use the new 26th roster spot on a third catcher like Phegley. Either way, he'll have limited fantasy value unless injuries open up regular playing time.
Phegley signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Friday, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Phegley will add organizational depth for the Cubs behind the dish, something that became a priority after Willson Contreras went down with an injury last season. Phegley appeared in 106 games last year for Oakland, hitting .239 with 12 home runs and 62 RBI.
