Phillies: 3 Rhys Hoskins trades that need to be considered
Rhys Hoskins to the Cleveland Indians for James Karinchak and another reliever
Former Phillies slugger Carlos Santana accounted for most of the Cleveland Indians’ plate appearances among first basemen in 2020. Playing in all 60 games, the one-time All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner slashed only .199/.349/.350 with seven doubles, eight home runs, 30 RBI, 47 walks, and just 43 strikeouts.
To compare, Hoskins slashed a much-better .245/.384/.503, walking 29 times across his 41 games played. Hoskins had eight more walks (116) than Santana (108) across the full 2019 season.
The stat line has become a staple for both, especially in recent seasons, to make up for them not producing in other statistical categories.
If the Indians want to bring back Santana in 2021, they can follow through with their $17.5 million team option, or they could buy the 34-year-old out for $500,000.
During the uncertain financial status surrounding the COVID-19 crisis, it seems more likely that the Indians will part ways with Santana. But, if they do, the struggling Mike Freeman remains as the only other first baseman listed on their current depth chart.
In other words, the Indians could be in the market for a first baseman this offseason, and this is where the Phillies should jump in via trade to address a need of their own — the bullpen.
During the 2020 season, the Indians had nine relievers that posted an ERA less than 4.00; to compare, the Phillies had just three — Connor Brogdon (3.97), Blake Parker (3.21), and Jose Alvarez (1.42). This excludes starting pitcher Zach Eflin‘s and position player Neil Walker‘s one scoreless relief appearance each.
If the Indians were willing to part ways with at least two of these nine relievers for Hoskins, the Phillies should at least take a flier. The 25-year-old James Karinchak would be a headliner in a blockbuster trade; through 32 career appearances, he has allowed just nine earned runs, while striking out 61 batters in 32 1/3 innings.
Granted, Karinchak yielded a grand slam that ultimately lost the Indians the Wild Card series to the Yankees this postseason, but this should be considered an outlier in his young, but so far promising career.
Rhys Hoskins to the Seattle Mariners for Justus Sheffield
Another team that saw poor production out of their first basemen during the shortened 2020 season was the Seattle Mariners — with a league-worst .176/.252/.346 slash line.
The Mariners have three first basemen listed on their depth chart: Evan White, Ty France, and Jose Marmolejos. Combined in 2020, the three produced 16 home runs, 41 runs scored, and 57 RBI spanning 411 plate appearances.
Hoskins, alone, slugged 10 home runs, 35 runs scored, and 26 RBI in just 185 plate appearances in 2020.
Perhaps dealing Hoskins to Seattle, pairing him with former Phillies top hitting prospect J.P. Crawford, would benefit both clubs.
With the Phillies set to lose Jake Arrieta to free agency, their starting rotation continues to have question marks outside of Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler. The Phillies should target 24-year-old Mariners left-hander Justus Sheffield to sure up the top half of their rotation for years to come.
The Cleveland Indians drafted Sheffield in the first round, 31st overall, in the 2014 draft. During the July 2016 trade deadline, he was dealt to the New York Yankees in a five-play deal that was headlined with Clint Frazier and Andrew Miller.
Prior to the 2019 season, the Yankees sent Sheffield to the Mariners in the blockbuster that brought fellow left-hander James Paxton to the Bronx.
While Sheffield posted a 5.82 career ERA across his first 11 appearances (seven starts) with the Yankees and Mariners in 2018 and 2019, he considerably improved in 2020. Spanning 10 starts, he went 4-3 with a 3.58 ERA, 48-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 1.301 WHIP in 55 1/3 innings.
Over his last four starts to wrap up the 2020 slate, the lefty went 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA; he struck out 19 of his 100 batters faced, while allowing only six runs in 25 innings.
The Phillies arguably have not had a reliable left-handed starting pitcher since the days of Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. Sheffield’s addition would be long overdue.
Rhys Hoskins to the Milwaukee Brewers for Josh Hader
The Phillies may or may not need to add other pieces to the aforementioned blockbuster deals to acquire either Indians relievers or star Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Justus Sheffield. If they want to really make a splash this offseason by landing star Milwaukee Brewers closer Josh Hader, they surely would have to part ways with more assets.
But, them doing so would mean a significant upgrade to the back-end of their rotation.
Prior to the August 31 trade deadline, there was reportedly a “lot of buzz” regarding the Phillies being one the teams involved in trade talks for Hader. No trade ultimately materialized with the Phillies, nor with any other club.
Hader would go on to finish 2020 with a career-worst 3.79 ERA across 21 appearances. Still, that 3.79 ERA would be well-received — in an effort to improve a Phillies bullpen that in 2020 posted the second-worst combined ERA in Major League Baseball history.
The 26-year-old and two-time All-Star has a 2.54 career ERA; over the past three seasons, he has recorded 62 saves while blowing just 14.
Phillies relievers blew 12 saves in 2020 alone.
The Brewers might try to pry top Phillies hitting prospect shortstop Bryson Stott, or the recently drafted RHP Mick Abel, along with Hoskins in a deal for Hader. They could use a long-term upgrade at all three positions to complement former Most Valuable Player Christian Yelich for years to come. The Brewers could particularly use an upgrade at first base with Hoskins, considering Jedd Gyorko, Jace Peterson, Daniel Vogelbach, and Ryon Healy do not seem to be long-term solutions.
The Phillies would have to think long and hard as to whether they should deal the highly regarded Stott, or any other prospect, as part of a blockbuster trade package for Hader.
More. Phillies 2020 Season Player Grades: Rhys Hoskins. light