What the Austin Hays trade means for the rest of the Phillies outfield originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia
In the end, Dave Dombrowski said, it all came down to redressing the balance between leather and wood in the outfield.
“We feel very comfortable having a defensive player in center field, whether it’s (Johan) Rojas or (Cristian) Pache,” said the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, in the Citizens Bank press box a few hours ago. following Friday’s announcement that Pache and reliever Seranthony Dominguez were traded to the Orioles for 2023 All-Star right-handed outfielder Austin Hays.
“But (Brandon) Marsh didn’t hit the left-handed pitch. Then suddenly we were playing two outfielders against a lefty, in left field and center. And you can survive with that sometimes. But I think if you’re trying to do a little more, having a guy who can hit the shot left-handed and hit it really well in a big series could be really important.
Do not make mistakes. The Phillies have the best record in baseball. So doing a little more, in this context, is a low-key way of saying World Series or bust. And this deal is designed to not only improve the team’s chances in October, but also to increase the likelihood that they will maintain home-field advantage once they get there.
Dombrowski also clearly said he still hopes to add to the bullpen before the trading clock strikes midnight, literally 6 p.m. on Tuesday. “We still have some bullpen depth. . . (but) people keep asking and we will 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 harsh reality is that he has only had a limited opportunity (50 at-bats) to show what he can do against lefties and has hit just .140 in those auditions.
In 72 at-bats against lefties this season, Hays hit .328 with an .894 OPS. For his career, he is a .272 hitter against LHPs with a .791 OPS.
With August and a series of series against teams with winning records ahead of them, 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 in 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 consecutive year he proposed to Hays on time, 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 is expected to make his Phillies debut on Saturday. He could become a free agent after next season.
He arrived in time for Friday night’s game against the Guardians, but did not start against Cleveland right-hander Ben Lively. He could become a free agent after next season.
Thomson was unwilling to discuss how he plans to use his new outfielder until he has had the opportunity to speak with all affected parties. But he made it clear he doesn’t see him as a part-time player. “I want the chance to see him play. I don’t see it as a squad”, said the leader. “This guy was an All-Star last season. I want to see what we have here.
Dombrowski added: “(Thomson) will set the lineup, but we think Hays can hit left-handed and right-handed pitches. He has done this in the past. He has a very good skill. But we don’t think he simply needs to be platooned at all.”
The implication was that Marsh and Rojas could end up splitting time at center. Asked to compare the two defensively, Thomson quipped, “It all depends on how Austin hits.”
Hays was surprised to be traded from the only organization he has ever been to, but hopes to 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 difficult when you’re in an entry-level position and suddenly you’re in a slightly different role. I was in a platoon situation and playing defense late. You always want to be the average guy as a player.
“I have a lot of confidence against right-handed pitching. I had a bit of a cold start this year, specifically against righties. But I feel really good about where I am now and the adjustments I’ve made. So I’m looking forward to getting some hits against righties.
“I’m really excited to be here.”
Marsh was not available to comment before Friday night’s game, but he could be the player most impacted by the trade. But Dombrowski and Thomson made a point of saying they hadn’t given up on him.
“I don’t know why he struggled so much with left-handed shooting 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 bats that are good. I think he’ll understand at some point, I really do.”
Dominguez, who has pitched well for the Phillies in the past, has a 4.75 earned run average this season. “This year was kind of hit and miss,” Thomson said. “I’ve always said as long as he gets the ball through the zone, he’s going to take people out. And I think he will do it again. And when he does, he’s going to get people out of there.”
Moving Dominguez doesn’t affect what the Phillies hope to accomplish. Heading into Friday night, Penalty had a combined earned run average of 6.38 over their last 22 games. Even without the five runs that catcher Garrett Stubbs allowed in a loss to Oakland on July 14, that’s 5.83.
“I can’t say it changes (what we want to do) dramatically,” Dombrowski said. “We were already looking at the bullpen. This is something we will continue to pursue. We still really like our guys out there. We still feel good about our bullpen guys. But then again, you can improve. That’s one area where I’ve always felt like you can never have enough bullpen arms, especially if you get into a shorter series at some point.”
He added that he does not aim to get any closer.
Right-hander 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 highlighted that with the rule change that excludes waiver deals after the deadline, all teams face a now-or-never proposition in the coming days. “You can always go deeper. But you can only do so much,” he concluded.
