In the end, Dave Dombrowski said, it came down to rejiggering the balance between leather and lumber in the outfield.
“We felt very comfortable to have a defensive player in center field in either (Johan) Rojas or (Cristian) Pache,” the Phillies' president of baseball operations said, standing in the press box at Citizens Bank a few hours after Friday’s announcement that Pache and reliever Seranthony Dominguez had been traded to the Orioles for righthanded-hitting 2023 All-Star outfielder Austin Hays.
“But (Brandon) Marsh has not hit lefthanded pitching at all. So all of a sudden we were playing two defensive players against a lefthander, in left field and in center field. And you can get by with that at times. But I think if you’re trying to do a little bit extra, having a guy who can hit lefthanded pitching and hit it pretty well in a big series can be very important.”
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Make no mistake. The Phillies have the best record in baseball. So doing a little bit extra, in this context, is a lowkey way of saying World Series or bust. And this deal is designed not only to improve the team’s chances in October, but to increase the probability that they’ll maintain homefield advantage throughout once they get there.
Dombrowski also said plainly that he still hopes to add to the bullpen before the trade clock figuratively strikes midnight at literally 6 p.m. om Tuesday. “We still have a little bit of bullpen depth. . . (but) people keep asking and we’ll still be looking to acquire bullpen (help),” he said.
Manager Rob Thomson has insisted all season that he believes Marsh has the ability to be an everyday player. But the hard reality is that he’s gotten only a limited opportunity (50 at bats) to show what he can do against lefthanders and has hit just .140 in those auditions.
In 72 at bats against lefties this season, Hays batted .328 with a .894 OPS. For his career, he’s a .272 hitter against LHPs with a .791 OPS.
Philadelphia Phillies
With both August and a string of series against teams with winning records straight ahead, the focus has necessarily narrowed from trying different combinations to putting the pieces in place to give them the best chance at a deep postseason run.
Hays started for the American League in last year’s All-Star Game, but became available after losing playing time this season to 24-year-old Colton Cowser. Dombrowski said this was the third straight year he made a pitch for Hays at the deadline, but that the asking price at the time was prohibitive.
He arrived in time for Friday night’s game against the Guardians, but did not play. He’s expected to make his Phillies debut Saturday. He can become a free agent after next season.
Thomson wasn’t willing to discuss how he plans to use his new outfielder until he’s had an opportunity to talk to all affected parties. But he made it clear he doesn’t envision him as a part-time player. “I want to get a chance to see him play. I do not see him as a platoon,” the manager said. “This guy was an All-Star last season. I want to see what we have here.”
Added Dombrowski: “(Thomson) will make out the lineup, but we think Hays can hit lefthanded and righthanded pitching. He’s done that in the past. He’s got pretty good ability. But we don’t think he just he has to be platooned, by any means.”
The implication was that Marsh and Rojas could end up splitting time in center. Asked to compare those two defensively, Thomson deadpanned: “It all depends how Austin hits.”
Hays was surprised to find himself traded from the only organization he’d ever been with, but looks forward to possibly have the opportunity to play regularly again.
“I’m just going to do whatever is asked of me and be ready when my name is on the lineup card,” he said. “It’s always tough any time you’ve been in a starting role and all of a sudden you’re in a little different role. I was in a platoon situation and playing some defense late. You always want to be the everyday guy as a player.
“I have a lot of confidence against righthanded pitching. I got off to a little bit of a cold start this year, specifically against the righties. But I feel really good about where I am right now and the adjustments I’ve made. So I’m looking forward to getting some at bats against righties.
“I’m really excited to be here.”
Marsh did not make himself available for comment before Friday night’s game, but may be the player most impacted by the trade. But Dombrowski and Thomson made a point of saying they haven’t given up on him.
“I’m not sure why he’s struggled this much against lefthand pitching this year,” the executive said. “He made some progress last year. I’m a little surprised, actually. We still think he’ll do it. But it’s not something he’s done this year. We still think he has a chance to be an everyday player. I’ve seen this happen to a lot of guys. He’s not the first. It’s just not where we thought it would be at this time this year.”
Said the manager: “It’s still a work in progress. I still see some at bats that are good. I think he’s going to get it at some point, I really do.”
Dominguez, who has pitched well for the Phillies in the past, had a 4.75 earned run average this season. “This year it’s been kind of hit and miss,” Thomson said. “I’ve always said as long as he powers the ball through the zone he’s going to get people out. And I think he will again. And, when he does, he’s going to get people out.”
Moving Dominguez doesn’t impact what the Phillies hope to accomplish. Going into Friday night, the pen had a combined 6.38 earned run average in the last 22 games. Even without the five runs catcher Garrett Stubbs allowed in a mop-up blowout loss to Oakland on July 14, it’s 5.83.
“I can’t say it changes (what we want to do) dramatically,” Dombrowski said. “We were already kind of looking toward bullpen. That’s something we’ll continue to pursue. We still like our guys out there a great deal. We still feel good about our bullpen guys. But, again, you can get better. That’s one area I’ve always felt that you never have enough bullpen arms, especially if you get into a shorter series at some point.”
He added that he’s not targeting a closer.
Righthander Michael Rucker was reinstated from the injured list prior to tonight’s game. He opened the season on the IL with a constricted artery in his hand.
Dombrowski pointed out that, with the rules change that rules out waiver deals after the deadline, all teams face a now-or-never proposition over the next few days. “You can always get deeper. But you can only do so much,” he concluded.