How Athletics OF Laureano Would Fit With Phillies Via Trade

The Philadelphia Phillies have visions of getting a right-handed bat at the trade deadline and the odds of that being an outfielder got better after Bryce Harper making his first career start at first base.

Why? With Harper now set to log at least some time at first base, it allows the Phillies to settle their corner infield rotation and opens up more playing time at designated hitter, where Harper was logging time exclusively.

The Philadelphia Inquirer recently reported that the Phillies are interested in a right-handed bat.

There are some good options out there. One of the low-cost ones might be in Oakland — Ramón Laureano.

Laureano is likely to be a name that invites some criticism. He’s currently injured and on a rehab assignment at Triple-A. His numbers this year are well below his career averages — .213/.274/.361/.635 — with five home runs and 17 RBI. In six MLB seasons, he’s slashed .246/.318/.434/.752 and has hit double-digit home runs three different times. That includes in 2022, when he hit 13 home runs while batting just .211.

So admittedly he’s been mired in a two-year slump. Plus, he batted .213 in the shortened 2020 season. In his other three seasons, he’s batted .288 twice.

Laureano is 29 and in 2024 he will enter his final arbitration season. So whoever gets him — should the Athletics choose to deal him — would get him for one more season at a controlled cost. The Athletics are one of baseball’s worst teams and the team’s ownership is seeking to move it to Las Vegas. The Athletics are likely to be sellers at the deadline.

And while his numbers are near the fabled Mendoza line, he is a far better hitter against left-handed pitching, where his average is .271 this season. That makes him a solid platoon option.

He’s listed as a right fielder but can also play center field. So he would add to an outfield depth chart that includes Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, Jake Cave and Nick Castellanos.

Acquiring Laureano 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, Laureano is an upgrade. He has a zero 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 Laureano would be a defensive upgrade for the position group.

There is risk attached to trading for Laureano given the injury. But it’s mitigated by the fact that he likely won’t cost much and he has a controllable year left.

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