Even with their 6-5 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday, the Philadelphia Phillies have been the best team in the MLB so far this season. After a pair of deep playoff runs the past two seasons, you can bet they are looking to load up for a title run this year, and that could lead to them pulling off some deals ahead of the trade deadline.
While the deadline is still months away, the Phillies are undoubtedly going to be buyers, so their front office is likely already hard at work trying to find players that they could potentially pick up in a trade. One such trade target that has already been identified is Jake McCarthy on the Arizona Diamondbacks, and if they continue to struggle, the Phillies could opt to make a move for him.
“The Philadelphia Phillies are keeping an eye on Diamondbacks left-handed hitting outfielder Jake McCarthy if the D-backs decide to make him available at the trade deadline.” – Bob Nightengale, USA Today
Phillies could bolster outfield depth with addition of Jake McCarthy
McCarthy has largely been the Diamondbacks everyday right fielder this season, but he may find himself boxed out of Arizona's long-term plans thanks to their bevy of talented outfield prospects. Corbin Carroll is a star already, and guys like Alek Thomas are knocking on the door for more consistent playing time, which could prompt the D-Backs to move on from McCarthy.
It's not that McCarthy is a bad player, but rather one who is solid but unspectacular, which is a pretty accurate description of his numbers so far this season (.268 BA, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 9 SB, .724 OPS). McCarthy won't post extremely gaudy numbers, but he's a pretty good player in every aspect of the game, which makes him a solid depth outfielder for a contending team like the Phillies.
While Philadelphia does have depth in their outfield, adding a more consistent option like McCarthy could help them greatly. Johan Rojas hasn't offered much as the team's center fielder (.234 BA, 2 HR, 19 RBI, .572 OPS), and with Brandon Marsh on the injured list, the team has been forced to turn to Whit Merrfield, Cristian Pache, and David Dahl in left field in his absence.
Marsh will return eventually, but even then, the team could still use some help in the outfield to shore up this unit, especially with their right fielder in Nick Castellanos hitting just .215 so far this season. If Arizona turns things around, they may opt to hold onto McCarthy, but if they continue to struggle in the wake of their run to the World Series last year, this could very well end up being a move that the two sides agree to make.
Follow Us
Subscribe