The Detroit Tigers have had plenty of players that have made the Motor City a pit stop during their major league career and some of them have had a hard time finding a new home. While some players may be kicked to the curb multiple times over the course of the season, it’s rare to find a situation where the player has the power to decide his callup.
That’s what happened in the case of one former Tigers infielder, who put a clause in his contract. With time running out, he was able to force the hand of his new team and find a way to return to the majors on Thursday.
Former Tigers Infielder Buddy Kennedy Exercises Contract Option with Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies promoted former Tigers infielder Buddy Kennedy to the major league roster on Thursday, but it wasn’t a traditional call-up. According to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, Kennedy’s contract had an upward mobility clause that could be exercised if he hadn’t been called up by a certain date, making him available to the 29 other teams.
Kennedy had recently exercised an upward mobility clause in his minor-league deal, making him available to 29 other teams. Phillies opt to promote and keep him. https://t.co/MeuQf0gMwm
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) June 19, 2025
Kennedy exercised the clause recently and the Phillies decided to keep him around, sending Weston Wilson to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. While Kennedy is back in the majors, he’ll need to show some production to stay there as the 26-year-old has struggled in the first three years of his major league career.
Kennedy came up with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2022, hitting .217/.287/.325 with a home run and 12 RBI. He’s only appeared in 24 major league games since his rookie season including six with the Tigers last season. In 54 major league games, Kennedy owns a slash line of .203/.295/.313 and failed to make the Phillies roster out of Spring Training even though Wilson was on the injured list and Kody Clemens was designated for assignment and traded to the Minnesota Twins in May.
The good news is that Kennedy has shown some promise in the minors this season. In 61 games, Kennedy is hitting .283/.388/.447 with eight home runs and 40 RBI and displayed positional versatility, spending time at first, second and third base.
That performance and a savvy negotiation process has brought Kennedy back to the major leagues. And now it’s up to the former Tiger to show he belongs if he wants to stay with the Phillies.