Atlanta Braves Targets: Should Brett Phillips Be A Target for Atlanta?

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ST. LOUIS, MO – OCTOBER 1: Brett Phillips /

As the Atlanta Braves seek to improve their defense, Milwaukee’s Brett Phillips should be on their radar

If the phrase “Defense wins championships” is true, this explains why the Atlanta Braves never sniffed the playoffs in 2017.

While the season had its exciting moments, watching the Braves play defense was not one of them. Therefore, when new Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos came on board, he stated multiple times that his goal was to improve the defense. As scores of talented pitching will find its way to Atlanta over the next several years, this initiative is imperative.

For evidence why young pitching needs good defense, watch Matt Kemp do his best to ruin rookie Rob Whalen‘s start in 2016:

Kemp has already been traded, as he and his comedy of defensive errors found their way back to the Dodgers. This clears the way for Ronald Acuña, who should be an improvement over Kemp on D and at the plate. However, even after the Kemp deal, Anthopoulos found himself once again saying he wanted to improve the Atlanta Braves’ defense.

On the infield corners, first baseman Freddie Freeman is a lock. Third base is still up in the air, with Johan Camargo as the most likely current option. He has the range and arm to handle the hot corner, if no outside additions are made.

Although shortstop Dansby Swanson struggled defensively during 2017, his defense has historically been a hallmark of his play and he should rebound in 2018. Plus, no matter what some of Braves Country might tell you, it’s too early to give up on him. AJC’s Dave O’Brien recently discussed a possible shift back to second for Swanson, a position he played well at Vanderbilt. This switch would allow Ozzie Albies to return to his natural position at shortstop, which would be an upgrade.

Behind the plate, Tyler Flowers’ framing skills are indispensable. Kurt Suzuki is also serviceable behind the dish, and his defensive metrics stand to improve without having to catch R.A. Dickey every five days.

Barring a franchise-altering trade, Ender Inciarte will start in center field for the third year in a row. Whether Acuña starts the season in Atlanta or Gwinnett, he will roam the Braves’ outfield in 2018.

This leaves one position which could use a drastic defensive upgrade, and that is right field. My deepest apologies to the diehard Nick Markakis supporters, but if AA is determined to improve the defense, ‘Kakes will be mashing singles elsewhere in 2018.

Is there a match in Milwaukee?

Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Brewers have outpaced their own rebuild. Through savvy trades and prospect development, they are proving their ability to keep pace in one of baseball’s toughest divisions. Even with a solid 2017, there are more reinforcements on the way.

One piece the Brewers will need to leapfrog the Cubs and Cardinals is a solidified rotation. This is not to speak ill of Zach Davies, Chase Anderson, or any of their current rotation options. But asking Davies and Anderson to repeat their stellar 2017 seasons is a steep request, and with Jimmy Nelson slated to miss some of 2018 with a shoulder injury, there are more questions than there are answers. Adding Yovani Gallardo and Jhoulys Chacin to the rotation doesn’t do much to quell the fears resonating through Brewers Country.

The Brew Crew could target free agents Jake Arrieta or Yu Darvish, although the certain financial burden makes that unlikely. To put the Brewers’ finances in context, their Opening Day payroll was lower than Tampa Bay’s.

Speaking on Tampa Bay, Milwaukee could also jump into the Chris Archer sweepstakes, as they have the prospect capital to swing a deal. However, as the cost could prove prohibitive, they might investigate pitchers at a slightly lower tier than Archer’s.

Enter Julio Teheran.

Teheran’s 2017 maladies were often specific to SunTrust Park, and his peripherals indicated heaps of bad luck everywhere. ESPN’s Sam Miller provided a fascinating look at some of his struggles for 2017, and how they were often misleading. As Teheran has even-year success generally reserved for the San Francisco Giants, all signs point to a rebound in 2018.

Like Archer, Teheran’s contract is gorgeous – two years, $19.33MM, with a $12MM option for 2020. His contract, when coupled with his potential impact, makes a Teheran-to-Milwaukee deal seem like a logical fit.

When evaluating a possible return, Anthopoulos would certainly keep his eye on improving the Atlanta Braves’ defense, and also cashing on in a surplus of Brewers outfielders. Currently entrenched in Milwaukee’s outfield are Ryan Braun, Keon Broxton, Hernán Pérez, Domingo Santana, and Brett Phillips. A subsequent wave of prospects is set to reach Miller Park soon, with Lewis Brinson, Corey Ray, Monte Harrison, and Trent Grisham (née Clark) set to reach the big in the next few years.

Something’s gotta give in America’s Dairyland. If the Brewers want to solidify their pitching, they could opt to unload one of their young outfielders in a deal.

In particular, Brett Phillips – the man they call Maverick – is an intriguing option.

Who is Brett Phillips?

Acquired in the 2015 deal that sent Carlos Gomez to Houston, Phillips logged 37 games as a Brewer in 2017. He slashed .276/.351/.448 with 4 HR, 104 wRC+, 1.0 fWAR, and 8 DRS in his limited time. Phillips’ arm grades as a top-of-scale 80, and has been clocked at 104.7 MPH from center.

His above-average speed allows him to cover a lot of ground. This also allows him to be a threat on the base paths.

At the plate, Phillips’ hit tool is his weakest. His strikeouts are still a tad extreme – an eye-popping 34.2% in his brief 2017 stint – but he has enough power to still provide plenty of offensive value. He hits the ball hard, to tune of a 24.5% line drive rate last year, and only 14.8% soft contact rate. His .412 BABIP is abnormally high, but with contact rates like these, it might not be a complete aberration.

More from Call to the Pen

Even with questions about his offense, Phillips’ true value is tied up in the field. As evidenced by Kemp’s attempt at playing the field above, the key for young fireballers bound for Atlanta will be confidence. With a solid defense behind him, who knows how Whalen’s rest of 2016 may have gone rather than being shut down after his next start?

The ability to keep opposing hitters in check will allow these pitchers to trust their respective arsenals, and dominate as advertised. This will also alleviate some of the pressure on the offense. An improved defense could lend itself to a lot of 2-1 and 1-0 games in Atlanta.

There are obviously some extra pieces that would have to be added to a Teheran-for-Phillips deal, as it is just a framework. Maybe the Braves kick in a reliever, maybe the Brewers throw in a prospect or competitive balance draft pick. Maybe a third team gets involved.

For a deal that could improve both teams, it could be worth looking into.

Next: Braves: Improving Morale

Who knows? It’s the offseason and it’s fun to speculate. It’s what we do.

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