Another Phillies trade rumor has them considering a reunion.
The latest in a slew of Phillies trade rumor news has them looking at rekindling their relationship with reliever Jake Diekman.
Diekman, who the Phillies drafted in the 30th round of the 2007 MLB June Amateur Draft from Cloud County Community College, was shipped to Texas in the Cole Hamels trade. Now with the Kansas City Royals, who are in big-time selling mode, Diekman’s name is the latest Phillies trade rumor to hit Twitter.
MLB.com Royals beat writer Jeffrey Flanagan tweeted Friday night that the Phillies were scouting the Royals in recent weeks. Philadelphia, Washington, and the Dodgers are said to have interest.
Since his three and a half years in Philadelphia Diekman’s career has been a bit topsyturvy. A strikeout machine from the left-hand side, Diekman appeared in just 11 games in 2017 after battling chronic ulcerative colitis.
Diekman bounced back and was traded to Arizona last season before signing with the Royals in the offseason. Through 45 games he has a 4.89 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 38.2 innings, proving he can still compile big strikeout numbers.
At 32-years-old Diekman has a mutual option worth $5.75 million for 2020 that includes a $500,000 buyout.
Philadelphia is certainly interested in bolstering their bullpen, although adding a third lefty into the mix doesn’t seem likely. Adam Morgan and Jose Alvarez haven’t allowed an earned run in their last 11.1 combined innings with a 1.029 ERA in the month of July.
If Diekman’s price tag is cheap, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have a pitcher familiar with Philadelphia. However, Diekman doesn’t fill a major need as a lefty reliever and the Phillies would be better set going after a reliable closer with team control.