Phillies should consider trading for JT Chargois
JT Chargois has been an effective reliever during his career. He previously played for the Minnesota Twins (2016), Los Angeles Dodgers (2018 to 2019), Seattle Mariners (2021), and Tampa Bay Rays (2021 to 2022) before being traded to the Marlins on Nov. 15, 2022.
While currently on the IL with neck spasms, Chargois is on his way back to action and may be an option for the Phillies to consider near the trade deadline based on his past productivity. He has one year of arbitration remaining before becoming a free agent following the 2025 season. The oft-injured Marlins roster could use him once he is expected to return in May at the rate players are suffering ailments.
#Marlins injury updates:
— Kevin Barral (@kevin_barral) April 12, 2024
- Edward Cabrera is scheduled for six innings 95 pitches in AAA-Jacksonville on April 17th
- JT Chargois threw a bullpen of 25 pitches. Throwing a live BP on April 15th.
- Xavier Edwards is being treated for a bacterial foot infection in Jupiter and is…
Chargois is coming off of a season with the Marlins in which he appeared in 46 games, the second-highest of his career in the majors. He had a 3.61 ERA, 35 strikeouts and a 1.25 WHIP in 42 1/3 innings pitched. The 33-year-old hasn't had much success throughout his career as a closer. He has successfully converted only one of 13 save opportunities, so he wouldn't be an ideal option for the Phillies to use in that role.
According to his Statcast pitch arsenal on Baseball Savant, Chargois throws a sinker 50.6 percent of the time, a slider (41.5 percent), and a four-seam fastball (7.8 percent). His career exit velocity is 88.7 mph, which is near the league average of 88.4 mph. The native of Sulphur, Louisiana, has a career max exit velocity of 113.7 mph, lower than the MLB high mark of 122.4 mph.
Chargois would be a decent candidate for the Phillies to acquire for depth at the backend of the bullpen, especially if they are dealing with many injuries or some of the relievers are struggling. Teams can always benefit from more available relievers, based on how frequently pitchers deal with injuries in today's game.