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Phillies: Trading with a division rival

By Tal Venada

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 21: Cesar Hernandez
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 21: Cesar Hernandez /
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Matz is probably the only Mets’ hurler the Phils could have interest with. Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images. /

Three gambles:

While Alderson should be selling low on Matz due to his health and 2017’s numbers, he will probably take advantage of the pitching market.

Or try to. But his stumbling block will be that Matz hasn’t proven he’s healthy since Aug. 17 or for an entire 162.

Last year, the portsider was active from June 10 to Aug. 17. He had opened the campaign with an irritated left elbow. And he ended it with an irritated nerve in his left elbow.

In 2016, this problem surfaced after his outing on Aug. 14 due to left shoulder tightness. As for 2015, he missed two months because of a partial tear of a left side lat muscle.

If Matz can produce as he did in ’16, he’d be a two-slot starter and a bounce-back candidate with a 93- 94-mph sinker. For instance, his last performance for 2016 was “7 1/3 scoreless one-hit” innings.

Matz, 26.5:

  • 2017: 13 Gms., 66 2/3 Inn., 2-7 and a 6.08 ERA.
  • 2016: 22 Gms., 132 1 /3 Inn., 9-8 and a 3.40 ERA.
  • 2015: 6 Gms., 35 2/3 Inn., 4-0 and a 2.27 ERA.

Spending two seasons on the disabled list due to Tommy John surgery, Wheeler finally was healthy enough for three months in ’17. Like Matz, he must prove he’s ready after finishing last summer on the DL with a stress reaction in his right arm.

When he stayed on the diamond, Wheeler was a decent mid-rotation arm, but the last three campaigns haven’t worked out that way. But although he’s a long shot, he still has a 94- 95-mph four-seamer.

Wheeler, 27.5:

  • 2017: 17 Gms., 86 1/3 Inn., 3-7, and a 5.21 ERA.
  • 2014: 32 Gms., 185 1 /3 Inn., 11-11 and a 3.54 ERA.
  • 2013: 17 Gms., 100 Inn., 7-5 and a 3.42 ERA.

During the last two years, Harvey hasn’t been dependable, but he still has a 94-mph four-seam fastball. Basically, he was on the disabled list for half of ’17 (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome) and ’16 (a stress injury to the scapula bone in his right shoulder). A change-of-scenery candidate?

Harvey, 28.5:

  • 2017: 19 Gms., 18 Starts, 92 2/3 Inn., 5-7 and a 6.70 ERA.
  • 2016: 17 Gms., 92 2/3 Inn., 4-10 and a 4.86 ERA.
  • 2015: 29 Gms., 189 1 /3 Inn., 13-8 and a 2.71 ERA.
  • 2013: 26 Gms., 178 1/3 Inn., 9-5 and a 2.27 ERA.
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