The Philadelphia Phillies have added another veteran bat today to help strengthen their bench for the stretch run.
The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired José Bautista from the New York Mets in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. While this move does little to move the needle nationally, it could be exactly what the Phillies need.
Although Bautista isn’t nearly the same player he was while he played with the Blue Jays, he still brings a lot to the table for the Phils. His impact won’t be felt on an everyday basis, but his impact will be felt. He will be a valuable pinch-hitting option who can change the complexion of the game with one swing.
Joey Bats has struggled to even hit .200 during this season. He’s currently hitting just .196 with 96 strikeouts in 342 plate appearances this season. Although he has flashed some power at times, 11 home runs, he is far from the masher that he was during his glory days.
This marks the third National League East organization that Bautista will be playing for during this season. He lasted just nine games with the Atlanta Braves to begin the season before reestablishing himself while with the Mets. Now, Bautista joins a team in the thick of the playoff race and his veteran presence could be a boon for Philly.
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Bautista has been in MLB for a very long time, parts of 15 seasons, and there isn’t a whole lot he hasn’t experienced on the diamond. The 37-year-old has been part of only two playoff teams during his career and both of those appearances came while he was with Toronto following the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
His numbers in the postseason are nothing to write home about or even get excited about. However, this Philadelphia Phillies team is a young team and having more players who know what it takes to get the job done will only help them down the stretch.
The Philadelphia Phillies currently trail the Braves by three and a half games entering play Tuesday and has time to take control of the NL East. Bautista could be the bat late in the game off of the bench that delivers that key hit to send this team into the playoffs.