Philadelphia Phillies: If traded, Jose Bautista would be a perfect addition

If they can pull off a deal, Jose Bautista would be a perfect addition to the Philadelphia Phillies’ roster down for the month of September.

Though he’s yet to land the big one, no one can say Philadelphia Phillies GM Matt Klentak has been complacent over the 2018 baseball season.

From locking in veterans like Carlos Santana and Pat Neshek in free agency, to the midseason acquisitions of Wilson Ramos and Asdrubal Cabrera, even if the latter hasn’t done much so far in the red and white pinstripes, it’s safe to say that Klentak is trying his best bring to bring his team back to the MLB promised land, and finally return October baseball to the City of Brotherly Love

And on Monday, August 27th, Klentak took another step to make that once distant dream a more concrete possibility by claiming utility power hitter Jose Bautista from the New York Mets.

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Now granted, even after putting in the claim Philly will have to jump through some hoops to secure the 37-year-old slugger’s rights for the remainder of the season, but if Klentak can work his magic, Philly could once again be one step closer to finally fielding a much consistent offensive roster.

If the last few months are of any indication, some consistency would be a godsend for the incredibly hot-and-cold Phillies.

Though no longer the player he once was from 2010-2015, when he made six consecutive All-Star appearances, Bautista has remained a fairly consistent scorer coming off the bench over the last two seasons, averaging roughly 23 home runs and 67 RBIs on about 600 plate appearances a season.

For a team like the Mets, giving valuable at-bats to a 37-year-old is a bit of a luxury, as at  58-72 the team would likely rather see what they have in their younger players, but for a surprisingly good team like the Phillies, even if the month of August hasn’t been so hot, there’s an obvious role for Bautista with the club.

A role the three time Silver Slugger could thrive in.

Outside of the team’s starting lineup, there isn’t a single Phillies player with more than 10 home runs on the season. Even in a down season, split between two NL East teams, Bautista already has 11. Even if he only hits a few more down the stretch, having a reliable power bat capable of playing either the outfield or third base could be a pinch for some instant offense late in a close game.

But what will it cost to actually bring Bautista to town?

According to Ken Rosenthal of the Atlantic, the Mets are not simply going to give Bautista away, and likely expect some form of prospect in return for his services. While this prospect obviously isn’t going to be a player like Sixto Sanchez, it will be interesting to see if the team is willing to part with a Single-A or maybe even Double-A player to make that final push for the 2018 postseason.

Fortunately for Philly fans, we won’t have to wait long to find out.

As detailed by Rosenthal in the above tweet, the Phillies and the Mets have until tomorrow to get the deal done, making extended negotiations a moot point. Either a deal is struck, or the Phillies roll with what they have down the stretch.

For me at least the choice is clear: If the price is right, bring Jose Bautista to Philadelphia.