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| From Newsday |
The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired LHP Jason Vargas and cash from the New York Mets in exchange for C Austin Bossart.
The Phillies could use starting pitching for their playoff push, especially a lefty, which Vargas is. Only Aaron Nola has good numbers, and only after a recent hot streak. The Phillies have only had five starts from lefties this year, including the time Jose Alvarez was used as an opener. Vargas a hot pitcher. On May 5, he had a 5.92 ERA, and it now is nearly two full runs lower. He has an option for 2020.
Vargas, 36, has a 4.01 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 94.1 innings this year. In his MLB career for the Mets, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners and Florida Marlins, Vargas has a 4.26 ERA with 1104 strikeouts in 1587.2 innings.
With the recent acquisition of Marcus Stroman, the Mets needed to clear a roster spot, and a rotation spot as well. Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler might also be traded, but they deal Vargas, who has the lowest upside. If they don\’t trade away any more starters, then a rotation of Stroman, Syndergaard, Wheeler, Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz (no specific order) would be lethal. Bossart is a bad hitter, and is an old prospect, but he was college teammates in 2015 with Brady Wilpon, son of Mets owner Jeff Wilpon.
Bossart, 26, has a .195 batting average with seven homers and 28 RBIs in 236 Plate Appearances for AA Reading this year. In his minor league career, Bossart has a .261 batting average with 18 homers and 112 RBIs in 939 Plate Appearances.
CarterHud 