It certainly made sense for a contending team to claim reliever Juan Nicasio. The Philadelphia Phillies are anything but, making their acquisition of Nicasio that much stranger.
The Pittsburgh Pirates decision to place reliever Juan Nicasio on irrevocable waivers was a surprise. While the Pirates are in the midst of a lost season, Nicasio is in the midst of another solid season. He has produced a 2.85 ERA and a 1.117 WHiP, while leading the National League with 65 appearances. In his 60 innings, he has struck out 60 batters while issuing just 18 walks.
Given that performance, it is not a surprise that Nicasio would be claimed. As one of the top relief arms available in August, and one that would only cost his salary, he is the type of pitcher that would be in demand by contending teams. However, the surprise came when he was claimed by the cross state Philadelphia Phillies.
While the Pirates are in the midst of a rough season, the Phillies have been even worse. They had a 49-83 record heading into yesterday’s slate of action, the worst record in the game. Considering how Philadelphia in firmly in the midst of a rebuild, Nicasio does not make much sense, given that he will be a free agent at the end of the season.
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At this juncture, the last thing that the Phillies should be looking to do involves winning more games. They currently lead the race to the bottom, and appear well on their way towards earning the first overall pick. Although this would not be the second consecutive season that the Phillies would have the overall pick, having two in the past three years would be quite a haul. After all, look at how the Nationals improved with their consecutive top picks.
This move would have made sense at the beginning of the month. Nicasio could have brought back a solid minor league player, someone that could have been a part of the Phillies future. Instead, the Phillies will have Nicasio for a month.
Next: Cardinals promote Jack Flaherty
The Philadelphia Phillies certainly upgraded their bullpen by acquiring Juan Nicasio. However, improving this year’s team should be one of the last things they want to do.