Ben Revere: 'It’s been a fun ride'
The Phillies have beat the deadline with their third trade in the last four days: Ben Revere is taking his career to Toronto for two minor league pitching prospects.
THE PHILLIES beat the deadline Friday with their third trade in four days: Ben Revere is taking his career to Toronto for two minor league pitching prospects.
Revere broke the news himself when he was surrounded at his locker stall at Citizens Bank Park a half hour before yesterday's 4 p.m. nonwaiver trade deadline. In exchange for Revere and cash considerations, the Phillies received righthanders Jimmy Cordero and Alberto Tirado.
"It's been a fun ride," said Revere, who joined the Phillies in December 2012 in a trade that sent righthanders Vance Worley and Trevor May to Minnesota. "I know I've had my up and downs for the past three seasons, but I think it's been great. The fans, the coaches, my teammates - everybody. People I've met here, around the community. It's been great here. They've been treating me and my family well. It was a blessing to be a part of this organization."
Revere hit .303 with a .331 on-base percentage and 95 stolen bases in 335 games with the Phillies. In 2014, Revere tied for the National League lead in hits, with 184.
But he became expendable this spring when the Phillies began playing Rule 5 pick Odubel Herrera in centerfield. Neither player has the power to play at either corner outfield position regularly, and Revere, who made $4.1 million this season, was often run on by opposing teams for his subpar throwing arm in center.
But Revere is attractive to a contending team such as Toronto for his speed and contact tools on offense. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Revere would likely be used in leftfield, in a "platoon-type deal," while general manager Alex Anthopoulos said his new outfielder brings the element the team lost when it included Jose Reyes in the trade earlier this week that brought Troy Tulowitzki from Colorado to Toronto.
"Just having that pest, that guy that can come up and you can have that big strikeout guy on the mound and you know he's going to put the ball in play, put pressure on the defense, steal a base when everyone in the park knows he's going," Anthopoulos said. "It's just completely a new element for our offense."
The pitchers the Phillies received back for Revere - both righthanded relievers - appear to be big arms with promise.
Cordero has struck out 46 batters while walking 20 in 50 innings between Double A and Class A. He'll report to Double A Reading.
Tirado, who will begin his Phillies career at Class A Clearwater, has hit triple digits with his fastball and was listed as a "rising" prospect, just outside Baseball America's Midseason Top 10 of Toronto's prospects earlier this month.
As a part of the deal, the Phillies will pay the balance of Revere's salary this season.
Roster shuffle
With all of the trades and pitchers coming off the disabled list and back from Triple A Lehigh Valley, it's been difficult to keep up. So, here goes nothing:
Matt Harrison, the oft-injured veteran lefthander the Phillies got from Texas, a part of taking on money to facilitate the Cole Hamels' trade, was placed on the DL with lower back inflammation last night.
A day after Aaron Harang was activated from the DL and plugged into the rotation, Buchanan was recalled from Triple A and started last night's game.
In addition to Buchanan, and with Revere, Hamels and Jake Diekman no longer on the active roster, the Phillies recalled outfielder Jordan Danks and righthanded reliever Dalier Hinojosa.
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