The Philadelphia Phillies have lost a promising free agent to a surprising team in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). Matt Manning, a 27-year-old right-hander who was a top prospect coming out of the 2016 draft, has signed a one-year deal worth $1 million with the Samsung Lions.
Manning, who was never actually used by the Phillies in their regular season or postseason, was quietly acquired from the Detroit Tigers in July on a low-level minor league trade. Despite his promising start to his career, Manning's time in Philadelphia was cut short due to injuries and a lack of playing time.
The 11-15 record with a 4.43 ERA in 254 major league innings is a far cry from the prospect who was touted as one of the best in baseball coming out of high school. Manning's path to recovery has been fraught with setbacks, including two separate bouts with injuries that limited him to just 12 starts between 2022 and 2023.
Manning's free agency began after the Phillies outrighted him from their 40-man roster, a common practice for players who are no longer in the team's immediate plans. The fact that he signed with the Samsung Lions suggests that Manning is willing to take a chance on himself, even if it means leaving the United States behind.
It remains to be seen how Manning will fare in South Korea, but the deal could serve as a fresh start for the 27-year-old right-hander looking to revive his career.
Manning, who was never actually used by the Phillies in their regular season or postseason, was quietly acquired from the Detroit Tigers in July on a low-level minor league trade. Despite his promising start to his career, Manning's time in Philadelphia was cut short due to injuries and a lack of playing time.
The 11-15 record with a 4.43 ERA in 254 major league innings is a far cry from the prospect who was touted as one of the best in baseball coming out of high school. Manning's path to recovery has been fraught with setbacks, including two separate bouts with injuries that limited him to just 12 starts between 2022 and 2023.
Manning's free agency began after the Phillies outrighted him from their 40-man roster, a common practice for players who are no longer in the team's immediate plans. The fact that he signed with the Samsung Lions suggests that Manning is willing to take a chance on himself, even if it means leaving the United States behind.
It remains to be seen how Manning will fare in South Korea, but the deal could serve as a fresh start for the 27-year-old right-hander looking to revive his career.
The Phillies losing Matt Manning is kinda sad because he was a top prospect and it's hard to see what went wrong with him 
. He had injuries that limited his time on the team, but $1 million in KBO is still a decent payday for someone who didn't do much in MLB 
. Manning's decision to sign in South Korea shows he's willing to take a chance on himself, which is admirable 
. It'll be interesting to see how he does in KBO, maybe this is the fresh start he needs 
. On one hand, it's not like he was a key contributor to the Phillies anyway 
, but still, you feel bad for a guy who never got his shot 
, even though he didn't exactly live up to expectations here in Philly 
. The dude's been through some tough breaks with injuries and stuff 
I mean, 1 million bucks is still a nice chunk of change 
, and who knows, maybe this KBO gig will help him get back on track 
.
️. but hey, at least he took a chance on himself and signed with the Samsung Lions – gotta respect that 
. fingers crossed for Manning, hoping he finds his groove and gets back to bein' the prospect we all thought he was 
. Now he's gotta start from scratch in KBO with a tiny contract 
. It's not all bad though, at least he's taking a chance on himself and trying to revive his career 
️.
. Dude got hurt way too much here and didn't get a shot with the big boys. Its crazy that he had to leave to revive his career... idk if its gonna work out for him tho 
But I guess it's clear they didn't see him as part of their future plans. That $1 million deal is a decent chunk of change for Samsung Lions, though! 
, i mean dont get me wrong matt manning is talented but i gotta wonder if he's still got it 
and we stopped at this tiny diner that served the craziest burgers I've ever had... like, who puts peanut butter and pickles on a burger?! 
I'm still thinking about it and wondering if I can recreate that combo in my own kitchen. Has anyone else tried that weird but surprisingly good burger?
...1 mil isnt bad, i guess its a fresh start for him 
. I think it's awesome that Matt Manning is taking a chance on himself, though 
. But hey, at least he's giving it a shot and not just waiting around for someone else to pick him up 
. Maybe the Phillies should've been more patient and willing to give him a chance 
.
. But hey, we'll see how it all shakes out. Maybe Matt Manning's got what it takes to make it big in the KBO?