It has been just shy of two weeks since the trade deadline and although it is too early to fully assess how the Phillies did in their trades, why not at least take an early look at who is doing what?
Brandon Marsh came over in the deal that sent catcher Logan O’Hoppe to the Angels. The book on Marsh was that he was an above average defensive center fielder with minimal offensive production. As a left-handed hitter, he would play the primary role in a center field platoon with Matt Vierling. With Kyle Schwarber now having missed three games due to an injury, Marsh and Vierling have both been in the lineup every day for interim manager Rob Thomson.
| PLAYER | G | PA | BB | SO | HR | RBI | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Marsh | 10 | 29 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 2 | .222 | .276 | .296 |
| O’Hoppe – AA | 7 | 33 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 8 | .268 | .424 | .846 |
Marsh has been everything that he was advertised to be and O’Hoppe is continuing on his assault of opposing pitchers for Rocket City in the Double-A Southern League. This trade simply was not necessary. Matt Vierling will likely be almost as good as Marsh defensively and better offensively whether playing every day against lefties or righties. Good, young catchers are a commodity and the Phillies simply did not get enough in return for O’Hoppe.
David Robertson is now in his second stint with the Phillies. His first was marred by injuries and he was labeled a bad free agent signing. Many thought his career had pretty much run its course, especially after a rough season with Tampa Bay last season (4.50 ERA in 12 games). Ben Brown is a good, young pitching prospect but not in the same level as Adam Painter and Mick Abel, so he was somewhat expendable. The Phillies were also in need of someone to help the late game workload and Robertson fit that bill perfectly.
| PLAYER | G | W-L | ERA | IP | BB | SO | WHIP | OPP AVG |
| Robertson | 4 | 0-0 | 0.00 | 4.0 | 1 | 5 | 0.500 | .077 |
| Brown – AA | 2 | 0-0 | 7.88 | 8.0 | 7 | 12 | 2.000 | .281 |
The Cubs elevated Brown from High-A where he was pitching in the Phillies organization to Double-A and he has made two starts with the Tennessee Smokies. In the first, he allowed just one run over five innings of work before he was hit around for six runs in three innings last Tuesday. A major part of the problem in that outing for Brown was control as he walked five batters.
The most notable of the trade deadline moves by the Phillies was the acquisition of Noah Syndergaard to give the Phillies a much needed arm in the rotation. “Thor” as his friends call him, was pretty solid over 15 starts with the Halos, posting a 3.83 ERA over 80 innings (5.3 IP per start). With the Phillies, he has averaged about the same number of innings, but has struggled to a 4.91 ERA in his two starts. The Nationals hit him for four runs over five innings but he rebounded against Miami with six innings and just two runs allowed.
The Phillies dealt two outfielders to get Syndergaard; Mickey Moniak and Jadiel Sanchez. Moniak may be the unluckiest player this season. In the final spring training game, just as he was set to make the Opening Day roster for the first time, he was hit by a pitch and wound up on the IL. He returned to play his usual up-and-down role going between Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley and quite honestly, needed a change of scenery. In his first game with the Angels, he homered and in his fifth, he was hit in the finger with a pitch while trying to lay down a bunt and is back on the IL. Jadiel Sanchez is a nice prospect but will take time to develop and the Phillies deemed him to be expendable in their hunt for a playoff spot.
| PLAYER | G | W-L | ERA | IP | BB | SO | WHIP | OPP AVG |
| Syndergaard | 2 | 1-0 | 4.91 | 11.0 | 2 | 6 | 1.727 | .362 |
| PLAYER | G | PA | BB | SO | HR | RBI | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Moniak | 5 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | .286 | .333 | .714 |
| Sanchez – A | 5 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | .200 | .333 | .267 |
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