Is Mariners Star Outfielder a Philadelphia Phillies Trade Deadline Fit?

The Philadelphia Phillies got a boost on Friday night with Bryce Harper making his first career start at first base.

Not only did Harper look like he had played there for seasons against Cleveland, his return to the field clarified the Phillies’ lineup a bit at the corners. It may also clarify what they do at the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

The Philadelphia Inquirer recently reported that the Phillies are interested in a right-handed bat at the deadline. With Harper limited to first base due to his recovery from Tommy John, the belief is that adding a bat that can play outfield would be the team’s best play as it tries to defend its National League crown.

There are some good options out there. One of the better ones might be in Seattle — Teoscar Hernández.

The Mariners traded for Hernández in the offseason, giving up pitchers Adam Macko and Erik Swanson to get him. The idea was that Hernández would be the Mariners’ answer in right field, even though he’s playing in his final arbitration year and is eligible for free agency in the offseason.

The eight-year veteran is 30 and will be seeking a multi-year deal as a lifetime .260 hitter with 149 home runs and 433 RBI. . The one-time All-Star has a lifetime slash of .260/.317/.490/.806.

This season his slash numbers are a bit down from his lifetime average — .247/.300/.430/.730. But his 16 home runs and 53 RBI should put him line with the power number he put up in Toronto last season (25 home runs 77 RBI) by season’s end. He's also a .300 hitter against left-handed pitching.

With the Mariners on the outskirts of the AL playoff race, the Mariners might look to get some value out of Hernández before he hits free agency.

He’s listed as a right fielder, but he’s played all three positions throughout his career. So he adds to an outfield depth chart that includes Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, Jake Cave and Nick Castellanos.

Moving Hernández into the lineup will require a roster move, and the easiest one would be to send Rojas back to Triple-A. When Harper plays first base, the Phillies could move someone like Schwarber into the DH spot and slide Hernández into the field. Hernández can also DH.

Defensively, Hernández is an upgrade. He has a plus-one in defensive outs above replacement, according to Baseball Savant. Among players at all positions that qualify, Castellanos is a minus-2 and Schwarber is tied for last at minus-15 among 260 players. So Hernández would be a defensive upgrade for the position group.

Whether he’s a player the Phillies are interested in remains to be see. But he’s emerging as one of the free-agent-to-be outfield bats that could get moved by Aug. 1.

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