Phillies were open for business this trade deadline, but failed to consumate any trades. While seemed to be a given that reliever Antonio Bastardo and outfielder Marlon Byrd would be the first to leave the team, both are still Phillies. While Byrd has publicly made comments that he wishes to retire a Phillie, Bastardo seems to be asking for a ticket out of town.
Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News caught up with Bastardo and he made it clear: he doesn't want to be in Philadelphia.
Prior to last night's game at Citizens Bank Park, Bastardo said he'd probably be better off had he been traded as opposed to wasting away with the Phillies.
"I don't know – that's a good question," Bastardo said when asked if he was glad nothing happened at the deadline a week ago. "I don't know. I think it could be good for me to stay here, but I think it could be better going somewhere else. We have two young lefties here, and they can do a really good job. A third lefty in the bullpen . . . I think for my career – for my career – I should be somewhere else."
Bastardo went on to say that he thinks he could a closer, too. That will not happen on the Phillies, of course.
The reality is that at a salary of $1.95 million, Bastardo is unlikely to clear waivers. That would mean the Phillies have only one team – the team awarded the claim – to make a deal with. It could happen, but it is more likely the Phillies would end up revoking the waivers and trying to trade Bastardo in the offseason instead.
