Phillies rumors: Possible landing spot for Clint Frazier, Marcus Stroman?
By John Town
The Phillies were listed as a possible landing spot for some of the major players expected to be dealt at the trade deadline this year.
The Phillies opened up the second half on a sour note, losing two straight games to the Nationals. They managed to pull off an exciting walk-off win Sunday afternoon but still are clinging to their playoff hopes for dear life.
The team is now 8.5 games back in the NL East and holding onto the second wild-card spot by just half a game with their record now at 48-45. They will undoubtedly need to make an addition or two at the trade deadline to solidify their playoff chances.
Richard Justice of MLB.com listed the seven players he thinks are most likely to be traded as well as which teams he expects them to end up on. Of those seven, Philadelphia was listed as a possible landing spot for four of them.
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The first and possibly most intriguing player Justice linked to Philadelphia was Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier. He put up substantial offensive numbers while New York’s slugging outfielders were injured but is stuck on the outside looking in with them returning.
Frazier would be a welcome boost to the offense after posting a .283/.330/.513 line and 11 home runs in 53 games. However, it would be an odd fit in Philadelphia’s outfield as he has just nine innings of major-league experience in center field, which the team needs the most. On top of that, Justice says Frazier would likely be the returning piece in a deal for a starting pitcher, which Philadelphia doesn’t have much of.
Speaking of starting pitchers, Justice also listed the Phillies as a contender for Marcus Stroman. He’s in the midst of a bounce-back season with a 3.25 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 19 starts with the bonus of another year of control before he hits free agency. He would do wonders for the rotation, but the cost for him is expected to be high.
Another Blue Jay expected to be on the move is former Phillie Ken Giles, who is also returning to form after a down 2018 season. Justice listed Philadelphia as the front runner for Giles, although he notes nearly every contending team will be searching for bullpen help.
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The final player Justice lists is Pirates outfielder Melky Cabrera. He would be an end-of-year rental as his contract expires after the season. Cabrera has his best batting average of since 2012 and is striking out at the lowest rate of his career at just 9.5%. He could provide a potent bat off the bench, but that’s about all he’ll offer at this stage of his career.