Phils reportedly land Stairs from Jays

CHIGAGO -- Hours after being designated for assignment by the Blue Jays, Matt Stairs is believed to have found a new home with the Phillies.

The Phillies have added the veteran left-handed hitter to their bench, according to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, citing Major League sources.

Toronto would receive a player to be named and the identity of that player has not yet been determined. A Phillies spokesman was unable to confirm the deal late Thursday night.

Assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Tuesday that the Phillies were looking to upgrade the bench, and the team had pursued outfielder Mark Kotsay, but he was dealt to the Red Sox.

With Geoff Jenkins possibly out for the season with a strained right hip flexor, Stairs, 40, can play both corner outfield positions and first base.

Stairs was hitting .250 this season with 11 homers and 44 RBIs. He has 252 career homers with a .266 career average in parts of 16 seasons in the Major Leagues.

A native of New Brunswick, Canada, Stairs made no secret of the fact that he had hoped to retire as a Blue Jay.

"Nothing would've been better than to go down Yonge Street [in Toronto]," Stairs told MLB.com, "celebrating with the guys I became really close with over the last year and a half.

"To me, the greatest city in the world is Toronto, and I'm not saying that because I played there or because I'm Canadian. It's a city I've always loved."

Broad Street in Philadelphia may be his next stop.