Six relievers Phillies could acquire by trade deadline
By Matt Rappa
Richard Rodriguez, Pittsburgh Pirates
Right-handed reliever Richard Rodriguez has played all but one of his four seasons in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Dominican Republic native started his professional journey as a 20 year old in the Houston Astros organization, 10 years ago.
In June 2015, the Baltimore Orioles purchased Rodriguez’s contract, and, two seasons later, would call him up for his big-league debut.
In 143 career appearances donning a Pirates uniform since 2018, Rodriguez has gone 8-9 with a 3.08 ERA, 1.165 WHIp, and 163-43 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 143 1/3 innings. In 2019, specifically, Rodriguez’s 72 games played ranked as the eighth-most in the National League. Rodriguez missed some time last season due to right shoulder inflammation, but otherwise has been healthy.
So far during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, the right-hander has appeared in eight games, three of which finished the game. Spanning 8 2/3 innings, he has yielded four hits, three runs (learned), one home run and one walk while striking out 12 of his 33 batters faced. Also, he has posted an impressive 0.577 WHIP ratio.
Tony Watson, San Francisco Giants
Left-handed reliever Tony Watson is the most experienced bullpen arm on this list, having appeared in 10 seasons.
The Sioux City, Iowa, native debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in June 2011, and would play there until the July 2017 trade deadline, when he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
During the 2017 World Series against the Houston Astros, Watson went 2-0 and tossed and impressive five scoreless appearances and 3 2/3 innings, allowing only two hits, one walk and an unearned run.
Three years prior, Watson earned his first and only career All-Star nod to date, going 10-2 with a 1.63 ERA, 1.022 WHIP, and a National League-most 78 appearances. He followed up a successful 2014 season in 2015, posting a 1.91 ERA across 77 frames.
The southpaw has pitched for the San Francisco Giants since 2018, going a combined 6-8 with a 3.22 ERA; this year, in particular, he has allowed just one earned run across seven appearances and 5 2/3 innings.
Watson would complement Adam Morgan in the bullpen well and provide Joe Girardi a solid bullpen option that he could trust in crucial, late-game situations.