Jayson Werth Signed by Phillies

The Phillies have come to an agreement with outfielder Jayson Werth, who was cut free by the Los Angeles Dodgers recently after re-signing negotiations failed. Werth, 27, did not play last season because of a left wrist injury that cost him part of 2005 as well. He was hit in the wrist with a pitch in the Dodgers' first 2005 Grapefruit League game.

Werth hit .234 with seven homers and 43 RBI in 337 at-bats for the Dodgers in 2005 while he battled the wrist injury.

Werth was acquired by the Dodgers before the 2004 season from Toronto in exchange for RHP Jason Frasor and emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the season.

He was on the disabled list from April 4-June 4, missing 50 games with a strained oblique muscle. When he returned to the lineup he saw action in 89 games, 69 of them starts and compiled a .262-16-44 record.

In the month of July he hit .310-3-12 with a .549 lugging average and a .405 on-base percentage. A cracked rib suffered while crashing into an outfield wall in Colorado cooled him off somewhat but he drove in 15 runs in his final 28 games of the season.

He had the game-tying single in the final game of the season just before Steve Finley won the game and the NL West title with a grand slam.

Other Player moves:

Los Angeles Signed RHP Spike Lundberg
Signed RHP Travis Smith
Signed RHP Dario Veras
Signed C Ken Huckaby
Signed C Octavio Martinez
Signed C Angel Martinez
Released RHP Nathan Hochgesang
Released RHP Edgar Lizarraga
Released LHP Juan Flores
Released LHP Kale Garrison
Released OF Jesus Mora

Other teams
Atlanta signed RHP Buddy Carlyle
Cubs signed C Koyie Hill, 3B Mike Kinkade
Cincinnati signed RHP Eric Junge
Cleveland signed C Mike Rose
Colorado signed C Edwin Bellorin
Tampa Bay signed 1B Hee Seop Choi
Washington signed LHP Chris Michalak
White Sox signed C Toby Hall