According to reports, the Philadelphia Phillies have acquired LHP Gregory Soto and INF Kody Clemens from the Detroit Tigers as part of a 5 player deal.
Going back the other way are outfielders Matt Vierling and Nick Maton as well as catcher Donny Sands.
Soto had a breakout year for the Tigers in 2022 posting career bests in ERA (3.28), Saves (30), and BB9 (5.1) en route to an All-Star selection. The soon to be 28 year old provides a veteran LHP out of the bullpen for the NL champions, and will be under team control through 2026.
Clemens, 26, is the son of 7x Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens. In 2022, the left handed bat suited up for 56 games with the Tigers, hitting 7HRs and recording 17 RBIs in 127 plate appearances.
His .145/.197/.308 slash line leaves much to be desired, however his versatility makes him an appealing option for clubs looking for depth. Not only did Clemens take reps in both the infield and outfield in 2022, but he also pitched 7 innings of relief work, recording a 3.86 ERA in the process.
While he won’t be confused for Shohei Ohtani anytime soon, he did manage to strike out the Angels star on September 6th when the Tigers took on the Angels.
Meanwhile the Tigers acquire 3 prospects who are ready to make MLB contributions sooner rather than later. MLB.com lists Sands as the Phillies 21st best prospect who is likely to see regular Major League at bats next season.
Matt Vierling has appeared in 151 games with the Phillies over the last two seasons, most recently hitting .246 with 6HRs and 32 RBIs in 2022. The 6’3” OF/1B saw limited action in Philadelphia with their veteran heavy lineup, and didn’t have a clear path towards regular playing time with the Phillies.
The same can be said of INF/OF Nick Maton, as the 25 year old saw scattered appearances with the big club over the last two campaigns. In 86 career MLB games, he’s hit .254 with 7HRs and 31RBIs.
The deal remains contingent upon physicals being passed, but for now it appears as though Philadelphia has improved their bullpen ahead of the 2023 campaign.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Keith Allison. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.