When the Phillies made the Cole Hamels trade with the Texas Rangers, the Phillies flexed their financial muscles. With very little substance committed in 2016 (just Ryan Howard's $25 million, Cliff Lee's $12.5 million buyout) the Phillies had some cash to spend. To land better prospects from the Texas Rangers, they agreed to take pitcher Matt Harrison off of their hands. Do not expect much from Harrison.
When the Rangers called for Harrison during a Rangers game last week, Harrison thought that his start was being pushed back for Hamels or flat out released. In the Texas Star Telegram on Saturday, Harrison described the experience:
“I thought I was either getting released or pushed back,” he said Saturday morning from Philadelphia. “
Instead, he was informed that he had been traded to the Phillies in a six-player package that brought back left-hander Cole Hamels and lefty reliever Jake Diekman. Harrison was stunned.
“The first day I was still in shock with everything that had just happened,” he said. “I didn’t expect to get traded with the issues I’ve had the last couple years. I guess I’m excited about a new beginning.
“I know the insurance policy on me is part of the reason I got traded, but they still have to want me here. They have a young team, and I’ve been around a while. I can talk to the younger guys that are here. Most of the guys who will be coming up are from Texas.”
Harrison's contract has an insurance policy with it that pays 75% of his contract should he be unable to perform. That happened almost immediately with the Phillies:
For the record, Harrison is a left-handed pitcher. Maybe that oversight demonstrates just how little Harrison figures into their plans. Despite thinking his start was pushed back, Harrison told the Star Telegram that he was headed to the disabled list all along:
He said that he was headed to the DL in Texas had the Rangers not traded him. Harrison has also been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which doctors believe has caused his steady weight loss even though he has been taking in extra calories in an attempt to gain weight.
Harrison said that one theory as to why he has lingering back stiffness is that the hyperthyroidism has weakened his core muscles, and the weakness and the weight loss could be a factor in his inability to recapture his velocity.
In other words, the Phillies knew that they were getting someone back with serious health issues.
For the Phillies, Harrison becomes a way of taking back money from the Rangers. Harrison is earning $13 million in 2015, and will also earn $13 million in 2016 and 2017, before he is due either a $2 million buyout or given a 2018 option of $13.25 million. With the insurance policy, if Harrison is unable to perform, the Phillies can pick up just 25% of the $13 million, just $3.25 million. If Harrison can perform, it is a bonus.
Harrison does have a history of success. In 2011, Harrison went 14-9 with a 3.39 earned run average. He followed that up with a 2012 in which he went 18-11 with a 3.29 earned run average. But the Phillies probably do not expect those numbers ever again. And that's okay.
The one caveat would be if Harrison is healthy, is not performing well, and the Phillies need the spot for a younger pitcher along the lines of Zach Eflin or Ben Lively. But that day is a couple years away. Chances are in 2016 that Harrison would fill a role akin to that of Aaron Harang or Jerome Williams: a veteran pitcher filling innings until the prospects are ready, with the outside chance the player could be traded along the way.
Should Harrison pitch well or be traded for prospects, the Phillies would be estatic. For now, they are very happy to have catcher Jorge Alfaro, outfielder Nick Williams, and pitchers Alec Asher, Jerad Eickhoff, and Jake Thompson. That will be money well-spent.
