Philadelphia Phillies's Garrett Stubbs makes ‘history’ and embraces his role as Jewish ballplayer

(JTA) — PHILADELPHIA — On Sunday, Garrett Stubbs made Jewish history — of sorts.

When the Oakland Athletics routed his first-place Philadelphia Phillies 18-3, Stubbs, the backup catcher, was on the mound in the ninth when Zack Gelof hit a grand slam.

It was, according to the Jewish Baseball Museum, the first-ever grand slam hit by a Jewish batter off a Jewish position player. 

That wasn’t exactly the mark Stubbs has been hoping to make as a Philly — though this past month he’s been seeing more regular playing time with starter J.T. Realmuto on the injured list. Nor was his unexpected stint as a relief pitcher even discussed as a possibility in a recent interview.

Israel on Stubbs's mind

Instead, Stubbs talked about Israel, and how, when the timing and the climate are right, he vowed to get to the country and get a truer appreciation for what many of his 2023 Team Israel World Baseball Classic teammates have gone through since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.

He’ll also get to experience a part of his heritage, which he first learned about attending Hebrew School and preparing for his bar mitzvah.

“I think it impacts the entire Jewish community in a negative way,” the 31-year-old Stubbs told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, discussing Oct. 7 and its aftermath in the Phillies dugout before a recent game. “Not only because of the response from some people, but I have friends that I played with on Team Israel currently there.”

While much of Team Israel’s 2023 WBC roster featured American Jews like Stubbs — the WBC does not require players to be citizens of the countries they represent — there were some native-born Israelis on the team as well, like pitcher Shlomo Lipetz and utilityman Assaf Lowengart.

“They’re experiencing the daily negativity from around the world and the actual harm that comes from across the border,” Stubbs said. “I talk to them every few weeks.”

In his conversations with his Israeli counterparts, Stubbs said he has gained a deeper understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — which clearly did not start on Oct. 7.

“This is something that’s gone on for much longer than the rest of the world has come to recognize in more recent times,” Stubbs added. “This has gone on since basically the whole existence of Israel. That’s what I’ve been told by those guys.”

That’s a stark difference to what he experienced growing up in Del Mar, California, near San Diego. Even now in the cocoon of being a major leaguer, while Stubbs is certainly aware of the rise of antisemitism in the world and on college campuses, he said it hasn’t filtered down to the playing field.

“I haven’t been directly affected on the field,” said Stubbs.

The Oct. 7 attack occurred during the 2023 MLB playoffs, as the Phillies were in Atlanta preparing for the start of the National League Division Series against the Braves. The Phillies held a moment of silence for Israel when the series shifted back to Philadelphia.

“I didn’t know much at the time because the outside world kind of shuts off,” Stubbs said. “But my communication with the guys I played with who actually live there definitely grew more as I became more aware of the things happening.”

Among those Israeli teammates is Tal Erel, a fellow Team Israel catcher, who Stubbs first got to know when he played for the Houston Astros, before joining the Phillies in 2022.

“He reached out to me when the war started,” said Erel, a sabra currently living in Miami who recently had dinner with Stubbs after a Phillies-Marlins game. “It’s not always easy being in the spotlight with so much backlash going on. But he keeps his head high and is proud to be Jewish and to represent Israel in the WBC.”

That Jewish pride has been evident since Stubbs was a child, and has only gotten stronger through the years.

“He’s part of a small group of Jewish major league baseball players and it’s a really cool little fraternity,” said his mother, Marti, who grew up attending Reform Temple Emmanu-el in San Diego. “He’s very proud of that and so are we.”

“I’d suggest he remains as committed as [he’s] always been,” said his father, T. Pat Stubbs, who chose to raise his children in a Jewish home even though he himself is not Jewish. “From the time he celebrated his bar mitzvah he’s been committed.”

Stubbs’ father pointed to the video Team Israel put out in October that featured a number of high-profile current and former Jewish players, including his son, urging fans to support Israel and reject antisemitism.

“He’s a very positive person, who’s always been a teammate people want to have around,” T. Pat Stubbs added.

That’s just one reason Team Israel general manager Peter Kurz wanted him — as well as his younger brother. C.J., a fellow catcher currently playing in the Washington Nationals minor-league system — on the team. (The two brothers shared a touching on-field moment during Spring Training in March.)

Garrett and C.J. Stubbs share the diamond for the first time in their lives. pic.twitter.com/xAYT8vBkBc

— MLB (@MLB) March 8, 2024

“[Garrett] played great for us and hit a big double against Nicaragua to win our first game,” recalled Kurz. “But he got hurt so we ‘traded’ one Stubbs for another.”

Kurz said he spoke to Stubbs this past offseason to encourage him to visit Israel. While the next WBC isn’t scheduled until 2026, Kurz has been busy putting together four youth teams — little leaguers as well as under-15, under-18 and under-23 teams — who will be playing in international competition this summer.

Stubbs intends to play for Team Israel again at the 2026 WBC, for which Israel has already qualified. But first on his mind is helping get the Phillies, who currently hold baseball’s best record, to the mountaintop.

He’s doing his part both on and off the field, regardless of what his modest numbers (a .185 batting average with a hitless streak in his last 19 at bats) may indicate.

“As a catcher you’re usually the team leader,” said Stubbs’ mother, Marti, who’s seen him not only handle the team’s pitching staff, but also become the Phillies’ defacto team cheerleader.

“He’s taken on that role even in the position where he’s not catching everyday,” Marti Stubbs added. “You just have to embrace whatever role you’re given and do the best you can. Take that and run with it.” Even if that includes stepping in to pitch for a depleted squad of relievers.

Whatever happens this season, Stubbs won’t be visiting Israel anytime soon.

“There’s not much time when you’re a baseball player to go on trips halfway across the world,” said Stubbs, who will be getting married this December. “But I will get there.”

Whenever that is, he’s confident it will have been worth the wait.