USATSI_18437978 — © Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Is Jose Siri a Good Trade Target for the Philadelphia Phillies?

The Philadelphia Phillies are in the market for center fielders, and Jose Siri of the Houston Astros could be a good fit.

Author:
Leo Morgenstern
Jul 31, 2022 12:30 PM EDT

In this story:

Philadelphia Phillies

This afternoon, the Philadelphia Phillies made a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals for infielder Edmundo Sosa. Sosa isn't a game-changing addition, but he is an elite defender at shortstop and third base, he will play a role on the big league roster.

The Phillies have also been linked to a player who represents a similar upgrade for the outfield defense: Houston Astros center fielder Jose Siri.

Like Sosa, Siri does not offer too much with the bat, but he is a tremendous performer in center field. He would make for an excellent late-game defensive replacement, and his range could help make up for the shortcomings of Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos.

There is potential in Siri's bat — he was an intriguing prospect in his younger days, and he had a tremendous season at Triple-A last year — but he has yet to prove that he can hit consistently at the MLB level.

His glove, however, has looked outstanding so far. He is one of the fastest players in baseball, and all the major defensive metrics have been very kind to him this season.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Philadelphia could be in the market for the 27-year-old outfielder. Rosenthal did not go so far as to say the Phillies and Astros have discussed a trade, but he did write "a number of teams are exploring trades for Siri" and in the very next line he mentioned Philadelphia is "among those looking for center-field help."

The Phillies would love an offensive upgrade in center (their center fielders rank second-last in wRC+), but the trade market has slim pickings in that regard. Dave Dombrowski might be smart to pivot towards a defensive upgrade instead.

Matt Vierling, who has gotten the bulk of the playing time in center lately, is a competent but unspectacular defensive player. Odúbel Herrera has been an above-average defender, but he's not nearly as valuable in center field as Siri would be.

Were Dombrowski to deal for Siri, someone would have to be cut from the current roster. Herrera is the most likely candidate. He is hitting .212/.262/.272 over the past two months and is starting to lose Rob Thomson's trust.

However, Philadelphia might prefer to hold onto Herrera, who still has some pop against left-handed pitching. Siri's elite glove gives him a higher floor, but Herrera has more potential in his bat and therefore has a higher ceiling. It will be interesting to see how Dombrowski proceeds.

If the Phillies are looking to add talent at the margins this trade deadline, Jose Siri could turn out to be a smart pickup. He's not a flashy name, but his flashy glove could save the team some runs in the late innings down the stretch. On the other hand, if he ever has to step to the plate in a high-leverage situation, Dombrowski might wish he had a center fielder with more of a proven track record at the plate.