The Phillies announced that they have acquired lefty Luis Avilan from the White Sox. Righty Felix Paulino will go to Chicago in return.
The Philadelphia organization designated righty Jose Taveras to create 40-man roster space for the move. An active roster spot was already open with Yacksel Rios being optioned after last night’s game.
On the other side, the White Sox also announced some corresponding moves. The club purchased the contract of righty Ryan Burr to take Avilan’s spot. Additionally, first baseman Jose Abreu was placed on the DL (as expected) and infielder Jose Rondon was recalled.
Avilan will be tasked with helping the Phillies retire tough lefty hitters down the stretch. His solid work this year earned him the #15 spot on MLBTR’s recently released list of the top 20 remaining August trade candidates.
Though his 3.86 ERA doesn’t jump off the page, earned-run numbers aren’t the most relevant statistic for him. The 29-year-old has thrown only 39 2/3 innings in 58 appearances, a reflection of his specialist usage. He has also been hurt by a .352 BABIP-against that seems in line for some regression.
As has long been the case, Avilan has been stingy against opposing lefty batters in 2018. Through 77 plate appearances this year, they’re hitting just .214/.276/.286 against him without a single home run. Hitters with the platoon advantage carry a .785 OPS against Avilan, though that’s a palatable enough number and he has been quite solid against righties (.678 OPS-against) in his career.
The Phillies will presumably take over the balance of Avilan’s manageable $2.45MM salary, though that has not yet been made clear. He’ll be eligible for arbitration one final time this coming offseason, so the Phils will have an opportunity to keep him around if they so choose.
In return, the South Siders will add a 23-year-old hurler who has reached the Double-A level this year. Paulino has split his time this year between High-A and Double-A and between the rotation and bullpen. All told, he carries a 3.91 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9. Paulino will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter if he is not added to the Chicago 40-man roster.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Would’ve thought they could have received someone better considering he’s a good lefty bullpen arm with another year of control. Phillies did well on this one.
It didn’t take much to acquire him after a solid run with the Dodgers. The White Sox acquired Avilan and Joakim Soria in a 3 team trade for organizational filler/low level prospect Jake Peter, who turned 25 this past April and is struggling in the Dodgers system. They also took on some salary but have turned Jake Peter into Felix Paulino, Kodi Medeiros (LHP) and Wilber Perez. (RHP).
I think the trades worked for the Sox. Soria and Avilan were never part of their future plans.
And you think Felix Paulino is part of the future. ChiSox may even lose him in December
all of whom suck. control issues all of em
It’s a win-win. Phillies get relief help, White Sox get another interesting arm to consider the the bullpen, and clear a much-needed spot on their 40-man roster, which will be needed to add guys like Cease, Savala and others approaching Rule-5 status.
Pretty solid return overall for a guy they didn’t even think was worth protecting last year.
Well since Paulino must be added to the roster or be lost in rule 5 draft I do not see how White Sox clear space
Do you really think a team is going to take a command-challenged RH reliever with six starts above A ball?
Damnit braves! Where you at! This is our offspring anyways
Avilan had to get past the Phils before he could hit ATL on the waiver wire.
True true. I wasn’t thinking. Thanks
This is a solid move by the Phils. I’m guessing Loup may be more hurt than we know. I also like that they did not give up any prospects in the top 30.
It’s nice to see that Avilan has an additional year of control. I would like to see him supplant Morgan (who is way too inconsistent) and for the Phils to add Andrew Miller in the off-season to make the lefty relief corps a strength.
Morgan’s problem isn’t inconsistency, it’s a consistent inability to get left handed or right handed batters out. If they invent a third kind of hitter, no reason to think he can’t do better against them. Till then ….
Yacksel Rios was optioned after yesterday’s game so Avilan will be taking his spot.
Actually, Zach Eflin took Rios’spot after he was foolishly optioned by Klentak last week. The “advantage at the margins” that Kapler likes to talk about was JP Crawford getting a 3 day vacation in San Diego ,(where he did not play),before getting sent out himself on Monday. That said, the Phils have no shortage of gas cans they can store at Lehigh for a week to free a spot for Avilan. They just need it to be someone with options.
This is a good move by the Phillies since their bullpen has not been very good lately. I still believe the Phillies need a closer. My suggestion is Raisel Iglesias or Shane Greene.
Greene isnt much better than what they already have.
No reason to give up huge prospects for Iggy when they can just buy a closer later for money
Good move for both teams. Thought the Sox would’ve moved Avi Garcia though. When he’s on he plays like an all star. There’s always a team that could use a good outfielder at this point in the season.
They’d be selling low on him, so I’m not surprised he didn’t move
The thing holding back a trade for Avi is that he is currently injured. He will need arthroscopic surgery after the season. No team will give away anything of value for a player that might not make it thru September.
Great trade by the Phillies
Don’t understand the move by the White Sox. They already need to clear roster space to protect higher value guys like Cease, so odds are fair Paulino will be unprotected. I’d have thought they’d get more for a decent specialist with one year of reasonably-priced control left.