The Phillies need an upgrade in their outfield with such limited production there this season. Carlos Gomez is in need of a rebound season and fits well with the needs of the Phillies.
Attracting free agents is hard for the Phillies considering their poor records in previous years. Certainly no big names will be flocking to Philadelphia, but the team could still be in the market for multiple players when free agency opens up. One of those players is Carlos Gomez, a former All-Star who is in need of a place to rebound.
Gomez, who will turn 31 in December, turned the page in his career in 2013 with Milwaukee when he produced 7.4 fWAR in 147 games. Gomez slashed .284/.338/.506 that year on his way to All-Star and Gold Glove honors. He produced 4.6 defensive wins above replacement manning center field for the Brewers. Gomez returned to the All-Star Game in 2014, putting up similar offensive numbers that season. His defense wasn’t nearly as strong though, with just 0.4 defensive wins above replacement that year.
However, Gomez fell off the wagon in the last two seasons. He split 2015 between Milwaukee and Houston, hitting for a .724 OPS with a 97 wRC+. 2016 only turned out worse, contributing just 0.9 fWAR cumulatively between Houston and eventually Texas. In terms of monetary value, Gomez was worth seven million dollars this season according to Fangraphs, below his 2016 salary of nine million dollars.
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Despite his poor recent seasons, Gomez still has potential. After being released by Houston, Gomez signed with the Rangers. He saw a marked improvement in production, hitting for a .905 OPS in 33 games with Texas. Gomez carried a 139 wRC+ and produced 1.2 fWAR in that small span.
Barring some unforeseen success next year, the Phillies will likely treat 2017 as another rebuild year before they can contend in 2018 or even later.
Despite that, someone needs to man the outfield, and I really don’t want to see more of Cody Asche. Gomez could fill that role while providing the pop the Phillies need.
Manager Pete Mackanin told Jim Salisbury of CSN, “I think by having one guy in the middle of the lineup or somewhere in the lineup that can take a little pressure off (Maikel) Franco and (Odubel) Herrera and the rest of them could do wonders.” Mackanin pointed out how Matt Kemp joining the Braves helped their overall hitting improve; Gomez could cause the same effect here in Philadelphia.
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Gomez will likely use his hot streak with Texas to sell himself to teams looking for outfielders. While he will try to cash in now considering he is already in his 30s, a team may not be willing to buy-in for a long-term contract. The Phillies probably wouldn’t either, but they can afford to give him a larger salary on a one-year deal than most other teams.
At one time, Gomez hit for 20+ home runs and stole 30+ bases a year. The Phillies would love to have even a significant portion of that production considering what little production came from the outfield this year. Gomez can man left field with some serious potential at the plate.
If he does well with the Phillies, Gomez could be in line for a bigger contract following the season.
There’s always the idea that the team could flip Gomez as a rental at the trade deadline. If he’s hitting at the same torrid pace he did to end the year with Texas, a team will give up prospects for Gomez’s bat. Hopefully by then, one or more of Roman Quinn, Nick Williams, and Dylan Cozens could be ready to fill the hole left by a hypothetical Gomez trade. The team could also do with Gomez what they did with Jeremy Hellickson this year, extending a qualifying offer in the hopes he rejects it for a more lucrative contract with another team, giving the Phillies a compensatory draft pick.
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Carlos Gomez could provide the experienced, impact bat the Phillies want in their 2017 lineup. If he continues what he did to end the year with the Rangers in 2016, the Phillies would certainly get a bang for their buck. They could flip Gomez as a rental at the trade deadline, benefiting the team in the short-term by clearing the way for their younger prospects while also adding long-term potential by continuing to build the farm system.