Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez to see his name appear in a trade at some point. The best time to deal him isn’t this winter. Instead, the Phillies should look to move him at next summer’s trade deadline.
Like everyone else, the Philadelphia Phillies are victims of a slow offseason. Stalled by the potential Giancarlo Stanton trade and Shohei Ohtani signing, major baseball transactions have gone on hold. This includes the delay in possibly trading one of the most sought-after second basemen on the market, Cesar Hernandez.
Not long ago, Phillies fans were stunned to see Hernandez take over second base duties from their beloved Chase Utley and actually put up good numbers. Since debuting in 2013, Hernandez is a .284/.357/.379 hitter with improving statistics each season. Never regarded as a top prospect, the reliability was a pleasant surprise.
Unfortunately, the timing for Hernandez doesn’t provide him with a long life in Philadelphia. He’s one of the team’s better hitters at a position with minor league depth. Scott Kingery is knocking on the big league door and about to join an already crowded middle infield. The Phillies still have Freddy Galvis on the roster and J.P. Crawford ready to earn back the respect he lost. Among them all, Hernandez has the most talent and big league experience thus the best value in a trade.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Hernandez has already reached his arbitration years and will only cost more with each passing season. The Phillies can afford to keep him, but right now he’s far more valuable as a trade chip. This organization lacks pitching depth and needs to find it any way they can, even if it means moving on from one of its best players.
Rather than trade Hernandez now to a team desperate for a second baseman like the Los Angeles Angels, the Phillies should build his value. Hernandez has hit .294 in each of the last two seasons and posted an OBP over .370 both times. He’s not an elite leadoff hitter. However, he can get on base regularly and swipe a few during the course of a season. A team like the Angels would benefit from him having yet they seem to lack the high-level talent the Phillies should charge for someone like Hernandez.
Hernandez isn’t going to cost any interested team a giant haul. He will, however, command at least one really good minor league arm. This winter, the price is a lot lower than it will be next July when 20 or more teams still think they have a chance at the postseason. When the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking for depth or the first place team in the American League East are hoping to find a replacement for their injured second baseman, they will pay more for Hernandez than they would now.
There’s no need to rush a deal involving Hernandez. Other than the fact that he doesn’t have as much time in Philadelphia as other players due to his age and nearing free agency, the Phillies have every reason to keep him.
Even if it means taking away a few at-bats at some point from the kids in 2018, Hernandez should open the season in Phillies’ red. But he shouldn’t end the year there either.
Next winter’s free agent class is stacked. One position with great talent is second base.Jose Altuve, Brian Dozier, DJ LeMahieu, and Daniel Murphy are just three top names entering the free agent pool. Each also plays for a team that made the playoffs in 2017. If things go well for their respective teams again in 2018, they won’t be available in trade discussions.
Next: Alfaro an unfamiliar type of catcher
The best time to trade Hernandez is when a desperate team calls the Philadelphia Phillies next summer. Unless someone amazes them this offseason with a proposal, it’s best Hernandez stays.