Phillies activate SS Didi Gregorius, return OF Jorge Bonifacio to minors

The Phillies announced they have activated shortstop Didi Gregorius from the restricted list. To create active and 40-man roster space, Philadelphia returned outfielder Jorge Bonifacio to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Additionally, the Phils activated outfielder Travis Jankowski from the paternity list and optioned infielder Nick Maton to Lehigh Valley.

Gregorius had been away from the team for a few days in his native Curacao to attend the birth of his child. He was originally placed on the paternity list but required more than the three days allotted for paternity leave, so he was briefly transferred to the restricted list. That opened up a 40-man roster spot for the selection of reliever Ramón Rosso, and Gregorius’ return pushes Bonifacio off the roster.

It has been a tough season for Gregorius, who is hitting just .221/.274/.393 over 307 plate appearances. That’s the left-handed hitter’s worst production since his 2014 season with the Diamondbacks, and a far cry from his .284/.339/.488 mark last year. That strong first season in Philadelphia earned him a two-year free agent deal to return last offseason. His getting back on track at the plate will be crucial to the Phils’ hopes of erasing a two-game deficit in the NL East or grabbing the NL’s final Wild Card spot.

Bonifacio was selected last week as a COVID-19 replacement, stepping in when three players (Zach Eflin, Andrew Knapp and Luke Williams) tested positive for the virus. Healthy and safety protocols allow those players to be taken off the roster without being exposed to waivers. The 28-year-old has gone 1-11 with a walk and six strikeouts in seven games this season.