Revere Becoming Attractive Trade Piece

In the midst of a severely down year for the Phillies’ offense, leadoff man Ben Revere is hitting his way to yet another .300 batting average season.

After hitting .294 in his first full MLB season with the Minnesota Twins in 2012, the speedy centerfielder was dealt to the Phils for pitchers Vance Worley and Trevor May at the Winter Meetings in December.

If the 27-year-old has been anything since the trade, it is consistent. Revere wrapped up his first season in Phillies pinstripes in 2013 with a .305 average in 315 at-bats while stealing 22 bases.

In 2014, Revere finished fifth in the NL with a .306 average in almost double (601) the number of at-bats. He was tied for 3rd on the team with 71 runs scored, and stole 49 bases.

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After finishing April of this season cold, with just a .215 average, Revere improved in May. He hit .286 in the season’s 2nd month, raising his overall batting average to .258.

June was really where he hit his stride. Over 104 at-bats in the month, Revere posted a slash line of .346/.376/.462, raising his season average to .288.

Revere has picked up right where he left off so far in July, hitting .393 in nine games. The continued hot hitting has raised his season average to .297, though he has received just 28 July at-bats due to hamstring soreness earlier in the month.

Revere’s monthly progression this season aligns with his career. He has notoriously been a slow starter, hitting just .243 in his career in April. He always improves in May, sporting a .287 career average in the month, and really hits his stride in June and July, hitting .325 and .310, respectively.

His numbers so far this season once again show how consistent Revere has been at the plate during his time in Philly. It’s why he has been the Phillies’ primary leadoff hitter since joining the club in 2012, and it’s why his name is being thrown around as the July 31 trade deadline approaches.

While Revere has shown a consistent bat, he still has his flaws. He has no power whatsoever, clearly be seen by his meager three home runs in 2,235 career at-bats. More concerning is the fact that he only has 86 career extra-base hits, including his three home runs.

Revere is an extreme singles hitter who is able to transform those singles into doubles via the stolen base. In his career, Revere has been successful in 80% of his 206 stolen base attempts.

Despite his speed, Revere is an average defensive centerfielder at best. His lack of arm strength and questionable route-running suggest that he would be better suited for left field. His speed does allow him to cover plenty of ground in center though, always giving him a shot at catching anything hit in his vicinity.

As a leadoff hitter, Revere could really help himself by taking more walks. His career .323 OBP as a leadoff hitter is serviceable, but it would be a lot higher if he had more than just 105 career walks. His .333 OBP this season ranks seventh in the NL among leadoff hitters. At this point in his career, Revere’s approach at the plate is something that likely won’t change.

Revere’s flaws are magnified because of how poor the Phillies’ offense has been. There aren’t a lot of talented hitters in the Phillies’ lineup. Revere has been their best hitter this season, and strictly based on average, has been the club’s best hitter since he’s been on the club. His .297 average leads the team, with Freddy Galvis at .276 well back in 2nd place.

The outfielder can’t be expected to be the best hitter on a team–his lack of power and extra-base hit ability will always keep Revere from being that type of hitter. He is an above average leadoff hitter, though. His skills would fit perfectly in an offense such as the Angels, who would have Mike Trout and Albert Pujols hitting behind him.

That deal was nearly a reality, as the Angels have expressed interest in Revere, and the two clubs reportedly were close to an agreement on him in recent weeks. There have been other teams tied to Revere as well, including the Seattle Mariners.

With the July 31 trade deadline quickly approaching, Revere is one of a number of Phillies pieces that could potentially be on the move. This weekend’s series against the Marlins would be a great time to showcase his skills for potential trade suitors, like the Angels, or even the Pirates. In 32 career games against the fish, Revere is hitting .298 with a .348 OBP and 10 stolen bases.