Phillies rumor: Tommy Joseph a backup option for Boston
Boston should give the Phillies a call if they can’t land their top target in free agency
Phillies fans are excited after a myriad of moves Friday morning that sent Freddy Galvis to San Diego and brought former Indians slugger Carlos Santana to town. General manager Matt Klentak is clearly taking another step forward in the rebuild and is ready to inject veteran leadership into a young clubhouse.
With Santana coming in the Phillies have a logjam at first base; Rhys Hoskins is likely to start in left field but Tommy Joseph is on the outside looking in. Joseph has been more productive than one might think, hitting 43 home runs in 249 career games (about one every nine games) for the Phillies. With Hoskins and Santana now solidifying first base going forward the Phillies are likely to ramp up their trade talks involving Joseph.
Boston could be a team looking for a cheap first base/designated hitter after finishing last in the league in home runs. Their primary targets this offseason are first baseman Eric Hosmer and outfielder J.D. Martinez, but it’s unlikely they can get both. The total money spent on those two players will more than likely be over $400 million. Hosmer is also heavily favored to sign with the San Diego Padres.
Joseph is a solid backup plan for Boston and could be a monster playing in Fenway with his left field power.
In two seasons, 31 of Joseph’s 43 career home runs have gone to left/left-center field with the career home run splits virtually equal between playing at home and on the road.
Left field in Citizens Bank Park measures out at 329 feet, nearly 20 feet further out than the Green Monster at Fenway Park. Joseph could hit 40 home runs playing in Boston with the advantage in left field.
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Joseph has also seen success in the eight American League ballparks he’s hit in during his short career. Playing at Fenway he’s 4-10, clearly in limited appearances.
Financially Joseph would be a fantastic addition for Boston; he’s under team control up to the 2023 season and is owed about $600,000 in his next two seasons before being arbitration eligible. If Boston is to give Martinez $200 million having a cheap first baseman/designated hitter would greatly benefit the Red Sox books going forward.
Next: Top 10 Phillies Starting Pitchers of the Last 10 Years
Don’t forget to keep an eye on Cleveland in the Tommy Joseph trade discussions after the Phillies snagged their starter.