Royals left-handed reliever Jake Diekman continues to generate a solid amount of interest leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. Along with the previously reported Nationals and Dodgers, Diekman is on the Phillies’ radar, according to Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com.
Notably, Diekman entered the pros as a 30th-round pick of the Phillies in 2007 and then pitched for the team from 2012-15. The Phillies said goodbye to Diekman in the last of those seasons when they dealt him and Cole Hamels to the Rangers in a blockbuster swap.
This year’s Phillies won Friday to improve to 50-47, but their so-so record puts them 7 1/2 games back of the NL East-leading Braves. While the Phillies are tied for the NL’s second wild-card spot, it’s up for debate how aggressive they should be heading into the deadline. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail suggested last week the Phillies aren’t necessarily in position to make blockbuster additions before the end of the month. It’s unlikely his mind has changed in light of the up-and-down way the team has continued to play since MacPhail assessed its performance.
If Philadelphia is focused on making modest pickups to better its chances at earning a wild-card berth, Diekman would qualify. While the 32-year-old’s 4.89 ERA and 5.35 BB/9 in 38 2/3 innings say he wouldn’t do much to help the Phillies’ woeful bullpen, the rest of his numbers indicate otherwise. Diekman has notched a 3.60 FIP, 13-plus strikeouts per nine, a 47 percent groundball rate and induced infield flies at a 20 percent clip. He has also produced useful results against both lefties (.299 wOBA) and righties (.307).
Diekman does have a $5.75MM mutual option for 2020, which could make him more than a rental for an acquiring team if he pitches well down the stretch. Regardless, with the Royals nowhere near contention, he’s one of their prime trade chips remaining. The club has already dealt fellow veterans Homer Bailey and Martin Maldonado within the past week.
Spider-Man statue to be taken down over ‘demonic’ imagery,
I’m all for trading Diekman!
Wonder if MLBTR will have a separate article for every team interested in Diekman. Every contender is looking for bullpen help, so he will likely be on the radar for every contender.
Same as Robby ray and Boyd. A new article every day saying “so and so is in need of pitching… they have an interest in so and so.”.
Tom V. said tonight on MLB Tonight the Giants should not be Sellers. But is Ray and Boyd available and if are the Teams that want them going to meet price today and if do then we would see more Trades happening besides guys who have been DFA because last Regular Trade was on Monday.
This makes no sense..the bullpen will shape back up once Dominguez , robertson and Ramos come back. They moved Pivetta and Irving to the Pen, signed Smyly. All they need to do is trade for Stromam. If they really feel confident get Minor too as long as they can keep key pieces together in the minors
Smyly won’t help.
Between Smyly and the interest in Diekman, it seems the Phillies are taking a conservative approach to the deadline. This makes sense because the Phils haven’t been very good, and even if they snuck into a Wildcard, they don’t feel like a playoff contender.
Save the big moves for the offseason. Bit depressing as a fan, but I can’t blame them for lacking confidence in this squad.
on the contrary, seems like they are in on everyone just i case. adding Smyly is fine in my mind if he’s only a contingency case in case they cant get their guys. no reason they can’t get a rental.
Agree with VPH; though disappointing as a fan, team’s certainly not feeling like a playoff contender. A plethora of injuries notwithstanding, still think management wasted way too much energy and resources in the Harper sweepstakes vs. looking at other needs – like pitching, which was iffy even prior to the IL tally. And even if the shiny new toy amps up his game in the second half, still not worth the $330 mil price tag or the diversion of management’s attention to what could’ve/should’ve been a better season.
Dominguez isn’t coming back this year. they should look for some bullpen help at least, but Deikman isnt going to help.
Who aren’t the Phillies interested in?
If this season has proved anything you can never have enough depth.
Diekman hasn’t been used properly by Yost, who insists on the “role” of 8th inning. He can get RH hitters out, but would be better if used more as a LOOGY. He has stuff, and the contract is not that big.
The next article will read “Phillies in contact with Ryan Madson.”