The Baltimore Orioles have acquired RHP Jeremy Hellickson from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for LF Hyun Soo Kim and LHP prospect Garrett Cleavinger.
This is a buy move for the Orioles, but they only problem is that they are sellers. They are 6.5 games out of the wild card. It would make some sense if Hellickson was under contract for 2018, but he\’s not. They only thing I can think of that would sense is if the Orioles were acquiring his rights, and wanted to see how he pitched in Baltimore this year, and if he was successful, they\’d re-sign him for next year.
Hellickson, 30, has a 4.73 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 65 strikeouts in 112.1 innings this year for the Phillies. In his eight year career for the Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays, Hellcikson has a 3.98 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 803 strikeouts in 1087.1 innings.
The Phillies are rebuilders. They have been trading all of their veterans, and especially the rentals, like Hellickson. They get a prospect in Cleavinger, who\’s struggling in AA. Kim is also rental, but he can just finish the year in Philly. He\’s always been platooned, and now is his chance to show he can do well as a full-time starter, after the Phillies traded their LF, Howie Kendrick.
Kim, 29, has a .232 batting average, one homer and 10 RBIs in 142 Plate Appearances this year. In his MLB career, Kim has a .281 batting average, seven homers and 32 RBIs in 488 Plate Appearances, all in Baltimore.
Cleavinger, 23, has a 6.75 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, three saves and 42 strikeouts in 38.2 innings this year for Bowie (AA). In his minor league career, Cleavinger has a 3.79 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, eight saves and 176 strikeouts in 140 innings.
I think the Phillies win this deal. Not because it\’s a great deal for them, because it really isn\’t, only because this trade makes about no sense from Baltimore\’s point of view.
For more on this trade, check out my YouTube video on it.
CarterHud 