Phillies lose Nick Williams, last piece in Cole Hamels trade, to Cincinnati

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Nick Williams' time with the Phillies has officially ended. The 26-year-old outfielder has been claimed on waivers by the Cincinnati Reds.

Williams was designated for assignment earlier in the week when the Phillies needed to clear room on their 40-man roster for relievers Blake Parker and Connor Brogdon. At the time, manager Joe Girardi said he hoped the Phillies would be able to retain Williams in the organization, but the Reds decided to take a shot on the talented player who had desired a change of scenery.

The Reds optioned Williams to their satellite camp.

The Phillies' decision to remove Williams from the 40-man roster earlier this week was not surprising. It was certainly noteworthy, however. Williams came to the Phillies in one of the biggest trades the club has made in recent years, the deal that sent Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman to the Texas Rangers on July 31, 2015.

In addition to Williams, the Phillies picked up catcher Jorge Alfaro and pitchers Jerad Eickhoff, Jake Thompson and Alec Asher in the deal. Five years later, all of those players have moved on. J.T. Realmuto, acquired from Miami in February 2019 for a package that included Alfaro, represents the last vestige of that deal. He will be eligible for free agency after this season.

Williams played parts of three seasons in the majors with the Phils. He hit .269 with 29 homers, 105 RBIs and a .776 OPS in 720 at-bats in 2017 and 2018 but could not solidify a spot in the team's future plans.

When the Phils signed corner outfielders Andrew McCutchen and Bryce Harper to long-term deals before the 2019 season, Williams' days with the club became numbered because he's only capable of playing corner outfield spots. Williams struggled mightily in limited time in the majors last season. He fell out of favor with management and openly longed for a fresh start elsewhere. He gets that with the Reds now.

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