CLARKE HAVING EFFECTIVE SEASON FOR HERD

by Tony Fiorello

Bisons catcher Phil Clarke has had an interesting season in 2025.

The backstop, who is in his third season with the Herd, missed the beginning of the season due to injury but after his activation off the IL on May 13 has provided steady play behind the plate for Buffalo.

“I'm just very grateful to be here,” Clarke said. “At first I didn't know what my timetable looked like, and my recovery was just kind of up and down. I really wanted to get up here with the guys, and so I'm just trying to enjoy every second of it.”

After his return to the lineup, Clarke found himself splitting the catchers’ duties with three other players – longtime MLB veteran Christian Bethancourt, Ali Sanchez and Brandon Valenzuela. While he hasn’t taken over the lead job – Clarke, Bethancourt and Sanchez have each played at least 45 games this year – Clarke has made the most of his opportunities, recording two home runs with 14 RBIs, 23 walks, a line of .277/.380/365 and an OPS of .745.

Manager Casey Candaele has liked what he’s seen from Clarke so far.

“Phil has done everything that's been asked,” Candaele said. “He hasn't gotten a lot of opportunities to catch just because of Sanchez and Bethancourt being there and them having to get reps, and he's done a great job of staying ready. And when he gets an opportunity, he does a great job. He's improved his catching and throwing and he’s having a solid year offensively, and that's really a testament to him and his hard work.

“When you could do that when you don't get a lot of opportunities to play and be behind the plate, you’ve got to look at that guy and go, ‘Man, he's doing everything that he needs to do to get an opportunity. He's just got to kind of wait around and wait for his chance.’ There's nothing I can complain about with what he’s done and how he goes about his business every day.”

The highlight of Clarke’s season was likely getting the chance to catch for a future Hall of Fame pitcher in Max Scherzer. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young award winner and two-time World Series champion, started a rehab game in Buffalo on June 13 where Clarke’s coordination behind home plate allowed him to record an outing of 4.1 innings pitched, two runs on four hits allowed, four strikeouts and no walks surrendered against Columbus.

Courtesy of Buffalo Bisons Baseball

“Any time you get a first ballot Hall of Famer to come in and throw for us, it's just an awesome experience for everybody in the clubhouse,” Clarke said. “Even in a Triple-A rehab start he comes in, studies the opposing hitters, has a plan to get them out and it makes your job as a catcher a little bit easier when you know that the guy on the mound has done his own research. So seeing how he goes about his business on the mound as well as inside the building is really cool.

“I always try to prepare and be ready, but watching him prepare for another team’s lineup and seeing how a major league starter gets ready for a game, I think opened my eyes a little bit and definitely taught me how to study some hitters in different ways.”

Perhaps one day, the lessons Clarke has learned in Buffalo will be parlayed into a call-up to the Toronto Blue Jays. But Clarke won’t stop working until he makes it a reality.

“Hopefully it happens one day,” Clarke said. “It's out of my control, but you know I'm going to try to do everything I can to make that happen.”

Feature Image Courtesy of Buffalo Bisons Baseball