Phillies Reportedly In Brent Rooker

The Phillies are “conserving a detailed eye on” A’s outfielder Brent Rooker forward of the commerce deadline, in line with USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski suggested last month that the membership might look so as to add solely modestly forward of the commerce deadline on July 30, and highlighted the bullpen as an space the place the staff may stand to enhance. That’s to not say the Phillies gained’t make any additions outdoors of reduction assist this summer time, nevertheless. The membership’s 58-31 file coming into play at the moment affords them the most effective profitable proportion in baseball, leaving them well-positioned to push for the membership’s first World Collection championship since 2008 this October.

That doesn’t imply the membership lacks holes, nevertheless, and outfield manufacturing is arguably one of many greatest. With Bryce Harper having moved to first base on a full-time foundation and Kyle Schwarber now in an on a regular basis DH position, the lefty sluggers which have labored the outfield corners for the Phillies lately have now vacated the outfield grass. Brandon Marsh has carried out effectively when wholesome, slashing .265/.346/.414 with a 116 wRC+ whereas splitting time between all three outfield spots, and veteran slugger Nick Castellanos has begun to warmth up in latest weeks and figures to proceed appearing because the membership’s on a regular basis proper fielder.

With that being stated, every of Johan Rojas, Cristian Pache, and Whit Merrifield have all disenchanted offensively this season. Whereas Rojas and Pache each provide precious defensive in middle subject and Merrifield’s versatility makes him a helpful bench participant, none have posted a wRC+ greater than 60 this 12 months regardless of taking practically 500 mixed at-bats for the Phillies. That’s led the membership to resort to utilizing journeyman David Dahl as a left-handed complement to the trio of righties, however whereas he bought off to a scorching begin in a Phillies uniform earlier this 12 months he’s fallen again to Earth and now sports activities a meager .207/.242/.397 (75 wRC+) slash line in 19 video games with Philadelphia.

It’s simple to see how Rooker can be an ideal match for the membership’s outfield combine. The 29-year-old first broke out with the A’s final 12 months with a 127 wRC+ in 137 video games, however he’s taken his offense to a different stage to date within the 2024 marketing campaign. In 313 journeys to the plate with the membership this 12 months, Rooker has slashed a implausible .277/.351/.540 with a wRC+ of 153. Whereas that manufacturing has include a hard 32.9% strikeout charge, Rooker has made up for it with a powerful 9.9% stroll charge and the seventh-highest remoted slugging proportion within the majors.

Whereas .371 BABIP this season is probably going too excessive to be totally sustainable, superior metrics are typically shopping for in on his general manufacturing as his .378 xwOBA is a close to match for his .380 wOBA, suggesting that any regression in BABIP ought to be made up for by his eye-popping 16.4% barrel charge as long as he manages to maintain his elite contact high quality up going ahead. That’s notably essential for Rooker on condition that the breakout journeyman entered the 12 months with simply over two years of service time beneath his belt. He’s making simply over the league minimal this 12 months and would include three extra seasons of staff management after this one earlier than turning into a free agent following the 2027 season.

That’s a timeline that traces up properly with the present window in Philadelphia. Veteran ace Zack Wheeler simply signed an extension that may also finish following the 2027 season, and kids Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott are each additionally slated to hit free company following that marketing campaign. In the meantime stars Bryce Harper, Aaron Nola, and Trea Turner will all be coming into this mid-30’s at that time and complementary items of the present core like Schwarber, Castellanos, and J.T. Realmuto may have seen their contracts expire. That Rooker’s years of management line up so cleanly with Philadelphia’s present window of rivalry may make him all of the extra engaging to the Phillies.

With that being stated, it’s value declaring that the membership might produce other prioritizes forward of the commerce deadline this 12 months. As beforehand talked about, Dombrowski has highlighted a need to enhance the membership’s bullpen this summer time up to now, and he additionally cautioned final month that the membership wasn’t more likely to pursue the form of blockbuster commerce the place the membership must “commerce three high prospects” to accumulate a participant.

Aid assist isn’t the one different want the membership might look to handle this summer time, both. The membership entered the summer time with one thing of a humiliation of riches within the rotation that pressured Spencer Turnbull right into a bullpen position regardless of a 1.67 ERA in six begins again in April, however since then each Taijuan Walker and Turnbull have hit the injured record, leaving the membership to depend on rookie Michael Mercado to fill out the membership’s rotation behind Wheeler, Nola, Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez. With Turnbull not anticipated again till late August on the earliest and Walker missing a selected timeline for return, it’s attainable the Phillies may look so as to add a pitcher able to serving to the membership both out of the rotation or bullpen relying on their wants at that second.

Rooker additionally isn’t the one outfielder anticipated to be obtainable on the deadline this 12 months, with White Sox veteran Tommy Pham standing out as a rental choice who would probably show cheaper to accumulate than Rooker if the Phillies are involved with the prospect value concerned in buying the A’s outfielder. Kevin Pillar of the Angels, Mark Canha of the Tigers, and Jesse Winker of the Nationals are among the many different rental veterans taking part in for groups who may contemplate promoting this summer time and would probably value the Phillies lower than a controllable asset like Rooker.