SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 18: Bailey Falter #70 of the Philadelphia Phillies walks off of the field against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on June 18, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ben Green/Getty Images)
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The Philadelphia Phillies have seen many development projects find their way elsewhere during long and productive big league careers. While some former draft picks become key contributors in Philadelphia, others see their career take numerous twists and turns out of town.
Few have followed quite as winding a path as a veteran left-hander who spent nearly a decade in the Phillies’ system before eventually landing with one of their biggest division rivals, going from a National League Championship Series starter for the Phillies to facing them for the National League East foe just days ago.
Fans will recall that over eight years, Bailey Falter was a draft pick by the Phillies, made his major league debut with the team and moved between the rotation and bullpen before eventually leaving for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
And now, shortly after facing them as a member of the Atlanta Braves, Falter has returned to the open market.
Former Philadelphia Phillies NLCS Starter Cut From Atlanta Braves Roster After Very Short Stint
“The Braves today recalled RHP Owen Murphy to Atlanta and designated LHP Bailey Falter for assignment,” the team announced on Monday, just one day after Falter pitched one and one-third scoreless innings against his former team.
Falter’s connection to Philadelphia stretches back to the 2015 MLB Draft, when the Phillies selected him in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick. He signed for a $420,000 bonus and began working his way through the organization’s minor league system.
The lefty eventually reached the majors with Philadelphia in 2021, initially working as a reliever before continuing to move between roles. In 2022, he made 16 starts among 20 major league appearances and posted a 3.86 ERA across 84 innings.
That season also gave Falter his first taste of the playoffs. He started Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres, although he lasted only 24 pitches after allowing four runs.
Falter’s Phillies tenure ultimately ended in 2023, when he was traded to the Pirates. He later moved to the Kansas City Royals before getting another opportunity with Atlanta.
The Braves’ latest move, however, brought that opportunity to an abrupt end.
Atlanta Braves Cut Philadelphia Phillies Veteran From Roster After Just Two Games
Atlanta’s decision to designate Falter comes after only two appearances, making the former Phillies pitcher one of the more short-lived additions to the Braves’ pitching staff this season assuming he rejects the assignment or sticks in the minors for the rest of the season.
“If and when Falter does clear (waivers), he’ll be outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett,” Steve Adams wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. “He has enough service time to reject that assignment in favor of free agency, but doing so would mean forfeiting the remainder of that guaranteed salary. As such, he’ll surely accept. Any player with three-plus years of service time who is outrighted off his team’s 40-man roster and not added back before the season ends has the right to become a minor league free agent.”
For now, though, his latest stint has ended almost as quickly as it began.
After spending eight years connected to the Phillies organization and eventually reaching the majors with Philadelphia, Falter briefly joined their hated NL East rival. Then the rival Braves gave him just two games before deciding they needed another direction.
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