PHILADELPHIA— The Philadelphia Phillies have struck a trade once again with the Minnesota Twins.
This time, however, the Phillies are adding veteran outfielder Harrison Bader to the club. In return, the club is sending prospects Hendry Mendez (12th-ranked prospect) and RHP Geremy Villoria (unranked prospect), per Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
Harrison Bader to the Phillies
Adding Bader gives the Phillies another right-handed option in the lineup. The veteran outfielder is in his ninth season in Major League Baseball, spending time with the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and the Minnesota Twins.
Bader is slashing .258 on the season with a .778 OPS. He has 12 home runs, 38 runs batted in, and 10 stolen bases. He can play all three outfield spots, but primarily plays in center field. He has fairly even splits this season, hitting .266 with a .779 OPS against right-handed pitching and a .241 average with a .774 OPS against left-handed pitching.
The Phillies will have to remove an outfielder from the active roster to add their new addition. Max Kepler and Johan Rojas are the two most likely players to get removed. Rojas could be demoted to Triple-A, while Kepler would have to be designated for assignment, then likely released. Kepler did get scratched from Wednesday’s lineup with triceps soreness. There could be a situation in which Kepler gets put on the Injured List until the rosters expand on September 1st.
This move is likely the final deal the Phillies will make this afternoon. They needed a right-handed bat and received it. If another opportunity presents itself, I would not doubt President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski to strike.
Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images
