Stark: ‘Still a Chance’ Phillies Acquire Left-Handed Bench Hitter, Reliever

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

Tuesday's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline is fast approaching, and the first-place Philadelphia Phillies' hot stove remains active as the club looks to bolster its 25-man roster.

There is "still a chance" that the club adds a left-handed reliever and a left-handed hitter off the bench, according to The Athletic's Jayson Stark Monday morning on 97.5 The Fanatic.

Per Stark, the Phillies and general manager Matt Klentak are now looking for value without surrendering "anything of real substance." Stark mentioned Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Curtis Granderson and Texas Rangers southpaw Jake Diekman as possibilities for both player types.



Granderson, 37, is a three-time All-Star and one-time Silver Slugger Award winner. Through 15 seasons and 1,882 games, the Blue Island, Illinois, native is slashing .252/.339/.470 with 322 doubles, 93 triples, 329 home runs, 896 RBI, 153 stolen bases, 865 walks and 1,798 strikeouts.

Diekman, 31, was drafted by the Phillies in the 30th round of the 2007 amateur draft, and was dealt eight years later to the Rangers in the Cole Hamels trade that brought back six players, three of which are currently on the Phillies' 25-man roster: Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson and Nick Williams. Diekman went 9-11 with a 3.84 ERA, 225-95 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.500 WHIP in 191 games and 173 1/3 innings in red pinstripes from 2012-2015. In 149 games and 123 1/3 innings as a Ranger, the southpaw is 5-3 with a 3.21 ERA, 138-66 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.216 WHIP.

Read: Phillies Hot Stove: Jones Opts to Stay With Orioles Amid ‘Possible Trade’

This season, Granderson is on an expiring $5 million contract, and has 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 86 games. Likewise, Diekman is signed through 2018 on a one-year, $2.71 million pact, and has 46 strikeouts in 38 innings this season with two saves and 14 holds.

The Phillies were first linked to Granderson last Monday, as The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported the club looks to add a "left-handed bat off bench," and an "occasional starter" in the outfield. Sunday night, Fancred's Jon Heyman said the New York Yankees "could be a potential fit" for Granderson, with Aaron Judge and Clint Frazier injured. Granderson hit his 47th career leadoff home run against the Chicago White Sox on Friday.

While the Phillies have yet to be linked exclusively to Diekman, MLB Network Radio's Jim Bowden reported Sunday night that the club is interested in "practically every reliever available." In the report, Diekman was included among nine right-handed relievers and three southpaw relievers, the Miami Marlins' Adam Conley and the Tampa Bay Rays' Sergio Romo being the others.

Stark said the Phillies' acquisition of Asdrubal Cabrera last week from the New York Mets appears to be their "biggest move," as he might have been the "best pure bat available."

While the club now looks to add to their bench and bullpen depth, Stark noted that these "kind of guys" are also available next month in the waiver wire.

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