Phillies close to adding another veteran player, so here's a look at their lineup
The Phillies have been loading up on low-cost veterans this offseason
By
Mike Axisa
•
1 min read
The Phillies continue to load up on low-cost veterans this offseason.
Philadelphia is reportedly close to signing free agent veteran outfielder Michael Saunders. Terms are unknown and the team has yet to confirm the news.
Source: Michael Saunders close to signing with #Phillies. @MLB@MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 16, 2017
Given the glut of corner outfield bats in free agency, it stands to reason Saunders will sign a one-year contract. The market is flooded. There's much more supply than demand. Saunders has been connected to the Orioles and Blue Jays, his former team, for much of the offseason, but his market was hardly hot and heavy.
Saunders, 30, was limited to nine games in 2015 by knee problems. He rebounded to hit .253/.338/.478 (115 OPS+) with a career-high 24 home runs in 140 games in 2016, and was an All-Star. Saunders started very well before fading late -- he had a 147 OPS+ in the first half and a 74 OPS+ in the second half.
Assuming a deal gets done, Saunders will be the latest low-cost veteran to join the Phillies this offseason. They've swung trades for Howie Kendrick, Pat Neshek, and Clay Buchholz in recent weeks, and also signed Joaquin Benoit to a one-year deal. None of those players is signed beyond 2017.
Kendrick, a career second baseman who moved to left field in 2016, will remain in left this coming season. That means Saunders is ticketed for right field. Manager Pete Mackanin's new-look lineup could shake out like so:
- 2B Cesar Hernandez
- CF Odubel Herrera
- LF Howie Kendrick
- 3B Maikel Franco
- RF Michael Saunders/Aaron Altherr
- 1B Tommy Joseph
- C Cameron Rupp
- SS Freddy Galvis
- Pitcher
The Phillies are still clearly in a rebuild, but the low-cost veterans like Kendrick and Saunders allow the team to be more respectable in 2017 without taking on long-term contracts and creating a roadblock for prospects. And if the veterans play well, they can be trade bait at the deadline. Nice strategy by GM Matt Klentak.
