The Philadelphia Phillies trade deadline grade would be a B+ as they fill needs and did not give up any of their four core prospects. Players acquired in the Phillies trade deadline may not be the most exciting names. As the team moves forward these gradual improvements may help them return to the World Series. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made two deadline day deals to solidify depth in the rotation and in the infield. In addition, the team made these deals while trading one highly-ranked prospect. It is currently unclear what the long-term implications of these moves are. They have decided to trust a young outfielder as well.
Grading the Phillies Deadline
Phillies Additions
The Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a trade to acquire right-handed starter Michael Lorenzen from the Detroit Tigers, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 1, 2023
In their most significant move of the day the Phillies traded for Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen. In 18 starts this season Lorenzen has a 5-7 record with a 3.58 ERA and 83 strikeouts. Lorenzen made the All-Star team this season. This move will see the Phillies go to a six-man rotation for the time being as their next off day is August 14th. Acquiring Lorenzen adds depth to the rotation and takes some pressure off of Christopher Sanchez. In a postseason scenario, Lorenzen can come out of the bullpen and has been a relief pitcher before. After this season Lorenzen is a free agent.
The Phillies also made a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates to acquire infielder Rodolfo Castro. This comes after the Phillies designated Josh Harrison for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Lorenzen. In 78 games this season Castro has a .228/.317/.355 line with six home runs and 22 RBI. Castro adds another right-handed bat to the mix that has played three of the four infield positions in the Majors. Prior to being traded to the Phillies, Castro had a .100/.308/.100 line in his last seven games. Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long should be able to help Castro improve at the plate like Long did with Brandon Marsh last season in a similar scenario.
Phillies Subtractions
To acquire Lorenzen the Phillies traded their fifth-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline rankings infielder Hao-Yu Lee to the Tigers. In the minor leagues this season, Lee has a .279/.367/.395 line with five home runs and 29 RBI. Lee is projected to reach the Majors in 2025. With the Phillies’ middle infield set for the foreseeable future, it was unlikely that there would be room for Lee on the 26-man roster in the coming years. While it is never easy to give up a highly-ranked prospect, in this instance it makes sense. While Lee could turn into a great player, Lorenzen brings immediate value to the Phillies.
To complete the trade for Castro, the Phillies sent pitcher Bailey Falter to the Pirates. In eight appearances this season for the Phillies, Falter has an 0-7 record with a 5.13 ERA and 28 strikeouts. It is by no means a surprise that the Phillies traded Falter who has spent a lot of time at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In the lone postseason appearance Falter made last season, he pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up three hits and allowing four runs. In addition, the Phillies have multiple highly-ranked pitching prospects and Falter had not yet proved why he should be on the roster long term.
Phillies Trust A Young Outfielder
The decision by Dombrowski to not acquire a right-handed outfield bat shows how much the team trusts rookie outfielder Johan Rojas. With no trade deadline move being made to fill the role, it appears Rojas will become a regular starter in the outfield. Rojas is currently filling in for the injured Cristian Pache. In 11 games this season Rojas has a .346/.370/.385 line with no home runs and six RBI. Furthermore, with Lee being traded, Rojas is now the Phillies’ fifth-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Dombrowski stated that teams inquired about Rojas in negotiations but the Phillies did not consider trading him.
Main photo credits:
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Players mentioned:
Michael Lorenzon, Rodolfo Castro, Josh Harrison, Brandon Marsh, Hao-Yu Lee, Bailey Falter, Johan Rojas, Cristian Pache
