UPDATED: 9:12 p.m.
PITTSBURGH — Domonic Brown is back with the Phillies and Darin Ruf is returning to the minor leagues. Again.
Ruf, who has spent parts of the last three years between the Phillies and Triple A Lehigh Valley, was optioned back there for his third stint with the team in as many years to make room for Brown.
The move to recall Brown was announced after Saturday’s game in Pittsburgh. Brown will join the Phillies in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
“He’ll get some chances to start,” Sandberg said. “I’ll mix and match and rotate the guys as I see fit. He’ll be playing right field for the most part.”
Brown is hitting .257 with two home runs in 52 games for Lehigh Valley. He’s spent nearly his entire season there after playing six games on a rehab stint for Single A Clearwater.
Brown began the season on the disabled list with an Achilles injury.
MLB
The outfielder is only two seasons removed from a year in which he hit .272 with 27 home runs in a full season with the Phillies in 2013. All of Brown’s numbers declined sharply in 2013, as he hit just .235 with 10 home runs in 144 games.
As for Ruf, the organization wants him to play consistently in order to contribute at a higher level in the big leagues.
“[He needs] to go and get more at-bats,” Sandberg said. “More steady at-bats and be ready to go.”
Ruf pinch hit in the game Saturday and grounded out in the ninth. He’s hit a paltry .235 this season with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 103 at-bats.
He grounded out in his only at-bat Saturday, a pinch hit chance in the ninth. Ruf went 2 for 6 in the Phillies' 13-inning loss Friday.
Ruf said the demotion came as a surprise to him
“Hopefully I go down and swing the bat well,” Ruf said. “You just never know in this game what’ll happen day to day.”
The first baseman seemed unhappy with the demotion and questioned the capacity for it to help him if he returns to the Phillies.
“Everyday at-bats don’t really matter if I’m going to come back up and be in the some role,” Ruf said. “So I guess we’ll see what happens.”