Way-Too-Early 2024 Trade Deadline Grades for the Phillies

The Phillies made a handful of deals at the trade deadline, foregoing blockbusters but adding solid pieces without losing any top prospects. Here’s an early look at how the various trade pieces are faring with their new clubs.

In: LHP Tanner Banks (from the Chicago White Sox)

Out: INF William Bergolla

Banks has already made 13 appearances with the Phils, posting a 2.40 ERA over 15 innings. He has allowed 11 hits, walked four batters, and struck out 14. Opposing batters have a .563 OPS against the lefthander since the trade. The Phillies have to be happy about these numbers, considering Banks had a 4.13 ERA with the White Sox this season..

Bergolla, 19, hit  .295/.350/.385 (.735 OPS) with one home run and 18 SB for high-A Jersey Shore before the trade, and is hitting .316/.386/.368 (.754 OPS) with no home runs and 9 SB in 90 PA for high-A Winston-Salem since the trade. He’s a promising young infielder known for high contact rates, but his loss is unlikely to haunt the Phillies anytime soon.

Grade: B+. Both teams got what they were looking for.

In: RHP Seth Johnson, RHP Moises Chace (from The Baltimore Orioles)

Out: LHP Gregory Soto

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel reported Thursday that the Phillies will call Johnson up from AAA Lehigh Valley to start Sunday’s game in Miami. The 25-year-old excelled in his three starts for the IronPigs, going 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings. He has struck out 13 batters and walked six. Baseball America ($) views Johnson’s ceiling to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter.

Chace, 21, is opening eyes at AA Reading, where he has struck out 29 batters in 15.2 innings across three starts. He has a 51.8% strikeout rate and a 1.72 ERA with the Fightins.

Soto has a 6.75 ERA in 13 games (10.2 innings) with Baltimore since the trade. The ERA is a little misleading, because Soto allowed four earned runs in each of two appearances, but held his opposition scoreless in the other 11. Still, it’s hard to imagine that the Phillies are feeling any seller’s remorse.

Grade: A. This one really looks good for the Phillies early on. The club needed to deal Soto, who was unhappy with a low-leverage role but didn’t perform well in high-leverage situations. And the prospects they received in return for the lefty are, so far, exceeding expectations. Johnson will get an opportunity to contribute at the major league level this season, and Chace’s incredible strikeout rate makes him an intriguing arm.

In: OF Austin Hays (from the Baltimore Orioles)

Out: RHP Seranthony Dominguez, OF Cristian Pache

Hays is hitting .254/.275/.373 in 19 games since joining the Phillies. That’s a .648 OPS, lower than both his .711 OPS this season with Baltimore and his .747 career OPS. Hays also missed 13 games with a hamstring injury after the trade.

Dominguez has pitched well for the Orioles since the trade, allowing runs in five of his 16 appearances and posting a 3.00 ERA overall.  He has allowed ten hits in 15 innings, striking out 19 and walking four, and he picked up a save in each of his last four games.

The O’s DFA’d Pache after just three games (and only one PA). Miami claimed him off waivers and he’s hitting .162/.225/.297 (.522 OPS) in 21 games with the Marlins.

Grade: C. This grade, like all of the others, may end up looking ridiculous in hindsight. If Hays heats up at the right time and produces aome big postseason moments, we’ll be talking about an A+. But based solely on the early returns, Dominguez has helped the Orioles more than Hays has helped the Phils.

In: RHP Carlos Estevez (from the Los Angeles Angels)

Out: LHP Sam Aldegheri, George Klassen

Estevez, the Phillies biggest deadline acquisition, is settling in nicely with the team as a ninth inning option. He has a 1.72 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP in 15 appearances, and four saves in five opportunities. Estevez even picked up the win after his lone blown save, August 16 against Washington.

Aldegheri, 22, made his major league debut for the Angels on August 30 against the Mariners. He allowed seven runs in five innings, but only two of the runs were earned. Aldegheri allowed six hits, struck out three, and walked two.

Klassen, 22, had a 0.71 ERA, 39.6% strikeout rate, and 8.3% walk rate with single-A Clearwater before the trade, but has a 7.71 ERA, 19.8% strikeout rate, and 19,8% walk rate since joining the O's and being promoted to AA ball.

Grade: A. If the Phillies win a championship this year, Estevez will likely have played a major role. He has quickly become a comforting presence out of the 'pen. Aldegheri was able to reach the majors with the Angels, and Klassen will probably be much better for Los Angeles' AA affiliate than he looks right now. Given the early returns, however, the Phillies would make this same move over again in a heartbeat.

Just for fun, here's how some of the Phillies' rumored trade targets have fared since the July 30 deadline:

OF Luis Robert Jr. (CWS): 27 G, 116 PA, .214/.235/.304 (.539 OPS), 2 HR, 9 RBI

LHP Garrett Crochet (CWS): 6 starts, 17.2 IP, 0-2, 6.11 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 28 K, 5 BB

DH/OF Brent Rooker (OAK): 28 G, 120 PA, .308/.383/.542 (.925 OPS), 7 HR, 17 RBI

RHP Mason Miller (OAK): 11 G, 13 IP, 3,46 ERA, 8 SV, 0 BS, 17 K, 5 BB, 9 H

LHP Tanner Scott (MIA-->SD): 17 G, 16 IP, 2.25 ERA, 2 SV 0 BS, 18 K, 4 BB, 15 H

Remember that these targets may have cost the Phillies top prospects such as INF Aidan Miller, RHP Andrew Painter, OF Justin Crawford, INF Starlyn Caba, or C Eduardo Tait. Might have to give the Phillies another A grade for the deals they didn't make.