CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Garrett Stubbs knew the odds long before he got to BayCare Ballpark last month.

He had one option remaining. Rafael Marchán had none.

It put Stubbs in an impossible situation. He could do almost nothing this spring to remain the Phillies’ backup catcher unless Marchán played poorly or got injured. But Marchán played well. He stayed healthy. So, to keep the organization’s catching depth, the Phillies on Thursday morning optioned Stubbs to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

“It’s not the first time I’ve been sent down,” Stubbs said in front of his locker. “It’s the first time in the last three, four years. So getting that tap on the shoulder again is not a good feeling. Obviously, I knew it was a possibility coming into Spring Training, just knowing the circumstances with options and the business side of baseball, which can get crappy at times. But it wasn’t going to stop me from playing my best.”

Stubbs has been a respected contributor for the past three seasons. It reflected that not only manager Rob Thomson, but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and general manager Preston Mattingly were in Thomson’s office to deliver the news.

“There’s not [a good way to break that news],” Thomson said after the Phils’ 7-0 loss to the Braves at CoolToday Park. “But I do think that [Stubbs] knows we love him and that he’s really important to the ballclub.”

Stubbs prepared his pitchers as well as anybody, earning the admiration of his coaches. His boundless energy and optimism helped teammates survive and enjoy the 162-game season. He connected with fans, too. His “Phils Win” playlist blared throughout bars and house parties during the past few Octobers. He enjoyed the team’s champagne celebrations, which often had him clad in red pinstripe overalls and wearing a case of beer on his head.

But now he will play in Triple-A for the first time since 2021, when he played in the Astros' organization.

“I thought I had a really good spring, so I don’t think there were any minds to change,” Stubbs said. “But like I said, Marchán is a great player, so that had nothing to do with this. I hope he goes up there and wins baseball games for the Phils because that’s what I want to see.”

If both Stubbs and Marchán had an option remaining, perhaps this competition would have continued for a few more days. Perhaps Stubbs would have won. He batted .286 (6-for-21) with two doubles, four RBIs and an .804 OPS this spring. Marchán is batting .231 (6-for-26) with one double, three RBIs and a .624 OPS.

“It is the business side,” Dombrowski said. “It is part of it. Sometimes it works for you, and sometimes it works against you. Could [Stubbs] have done anything? I don’t really know what more he could have done. I think it would’ve been more reflective if Marchán had come here and just didn’t play well [or] we didn’t like what we saw at all. Then we would have said, 'Well, if we lose him, we would have to fill the depth some other way.'”

Marchán, 26, has batted .279 with three homers, six RBIs and an .811 OPS in 121 career plate appearances with the Phillies over three seasons (2020-21, `24). Philadelphia opened camp talking about J.T. Realmuto catching fewer games this season to keep him healthier and more productive. It remains to be seen if that happens.

If it does, Marchán is the guy.

“We’ve liked him for a long time,” Dombrowski said. “A while ago, before all this happened, we thought he had a chance to be an everyday catcher, and many people approached us along those lines. His name has come up over the last six months. His name has come up a lot from other clubs.”

Stubbs could be the guy again, too. He expects to be back at some point, if only in September. Dombrowski does, too.

In the meantime, Stubbs will go to Triple-A, play and help IronPigs pitchers prepare so they are ready to contribute when the Phillies call.

“I’ve done nothing but try to win baseball games in the big leagues for this organization, and we’ve done that a lot in the last three years,” Stubbs said. “So [I'll] just continue to try to find ways to help the organization win in whatever way I can. … All I care about is winning, and that’s what I’ve done my whole career. I hope to do that in Triple-A for that team, and also because it’ll be preparing guys to learn how to win when they get to the big leagues.”