Felix Reyes smashed a home run in his first major league at-bat as the Philadelphia Phillies faced the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. The call-up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley replaced Otto Kemp, who was optioned after struggling. Brandon Marsh also made a highlight-reel catch, robbing Ronald Acuña Jr. of a home run on the game's first pitch.
Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson called up Felix Reyes late Friday night from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, hoping to inject energy into the lineup against the Atlanta Braves. Reyes delivered immediately, hitting an opposite-field home run off left-hander Chris Sale in the second inning for a 1-0 lead. He became the seventh Phillies player to homer in his first MLB plate appearance, following Weston Wilson in 2023. Reyes took the first two pitches for balls before crushing an elevated fastball; his helmet fell off as he celebrated rounding the bases, clapping enthusiastically toward the bullpen. Thomson noted the challenges for young players like Reyes, who will platoon in left field with Brandon Marsh. In Triple-A this year, Reyes batted .333 with six home runs in 18 games, earning Eastern League MVP honors in 2025 at Double-A Reading. Otto Kemp, optioned after going 2-for-20 with nine strikeouts in 10 games, drew sympathy from Thomson. 'Well, it’s not his fault that we didn’t hit,' Thomson said. 'It’s tough for him... He’s a young guy and he’s used to playing every day.' The Phillies released Pedro León from the 40-man roster to accommodate Reyes amid struggles against left-handed pitching, batting .179 with a .555 OPS entering the day. Earlier, Brandon Marsh leaped at the center-field wall to deny Ronald Acuña Jr. a home run on the first pitch from starter Cristopher Sánchez. Acuña's 107.6 mph drive would have been his second homer of the season.