Phillies: Five role players who could help the roster
It may not take a splashy name for the Phillies to win the trade deadline
While the trade deadline is highlighted by Manny Machado, the Phillies have more than just one need as they look to maintain first place in the National League East.
Philadelphia’s bench has been decimated by injuries and inconsistent this year, and if the club is making a serious playoff run they need to solidify their bench.
Here are five players to watch for at the trade deadline who could fill roles on this team.
Martin Prado
While Prado would have been a nicer addition three or four years ago, he’s still a veteran leader on a very bad team. Hitting .222 for Miami, Prado brings versatility valued by the Phillies. He’s played every position except center field and catcher in his career, thus supplying infield depth for a team that’s signed Trevor Plouffe and Danny Espinosa to minor league deals midseason.
David Freese
If the Phillies want a veteran with postseason experience and a solid bat, David Freese could be their guy. Playing for the fourth place Pittsburgh Pirates Freese is hitting .275 in 65 games with 11 extra-base hits.
Freese made his mark in the 2011 playoffs for St. Louis, winning NLCS and World Series MVP with 25 hits in 18 games. His power came on display during the NLCS with three home runs and some clutch hitting that helped the Cardinals to a championship.
Pittsburgh won’t need much for Freese with Colin Moran settled in as the everyday third baseman. A mid-level prospect should get the job done for Pittsburgh, who likely wouldn’t pick up a $6 million club option at the end of the season. A reasonable $500,000 buyout can void the final year of that deal.
Yangervis Solarte
Gabe Kapler loves players who can suit up across the diamond, and that’s what Yangervis Solarte brings off the bench. Since finding a role with the Yankees in 2014, Solarte has journeyed to San Diego and Toronto through trades.
In over 600 major league games Solarte has played third, second, short, first, and left, bringing versatility to the Phillies bench.
One of the hindrances brought on by Solarte are his league-leading 18 double plays grounded into. A .246 hitter this year, he’s not coming from the Blue Jays for his bat, but rather his versatility.
A buyout of his contract may be needed with two years and $13.5 million remaining thanks to the Padres, but his contract includes a $750,000 buyout. That’ll be chump change for the Phillies if he doesn’t work out off the bench.
Curtis Granderson
Another tour through the National League East could be in store for Curtis Granderson, who is still swinging a decent bat at 37-years-old.
While hitting just .245 Granderson has nine home runs and a .5 WAR, all of which would be an improvement over Aaron Altherr as the fourth outfielder. That’s what Granderson is at this point in his career, and the Phillies wouldn’t have a long-term commitment to him as he finishes up a one-year deal with Toronto.
Granderson has success playing in Citizens Bank Park as well with nine home runs in 44 career games with 50 hits and a .294 batting average.
Nick Castellanos
Nick Castellanos may quietly be one of the best hitters on the market this year playing for a Tigers team currently 15 games below .500 in a horrible division.
A former first round pick, Castellanos is hitting .305 with 15 home runs and 29 doubles for Detroit. His 2.1 WAR is better than Mike Moustakas, Kris Bryant, and DJ LeMahieu this season, proving his worth leading into the deadline.
Castellanos has played the majority of his career at third base, but he’s seen nearly 1,000 innings in the corner outfield spots, mostly this season.
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Most importantly, he’s just 26 and entering his final year of salary arbitration. Locked into a team-friendly situation for another year, Castellanos could be a valuable piece for the Phillies moving forward as a bat off the bench or even a short-term starter at third if Maikel Franco is traded.