It appears we finally know the full scope of the long-rumored trade between the Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners.  The Phillies are indeed landing a new starting shortstop.  But the trade has taken a few interesting other turns that could help the Phillies long-term.

According to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic the trade is as follows:

Phillies acquire:

  • SS Jean Segura
  • RHP Juan Nicasio
  • LHP James Pazos

Mariners receive:

  • SS J.P. Crawford
  • 1B Carlos Santana

Further, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com adds that no money or prospects beyond these players are being exchanged.

The move allows the Phillies to accomplish four goals.

First, the Phillies have a starting shortstop for the next four years.  Segura was a 2018 American League All-Star.  While he is not a shortstop that people find to be superior in terms of defense, he is not poor.  He will greatly enhance a position that was filled by Crawford briefly, Scott Kingery learning the position on the job, and the likes of Asdrubal Cabrera down the stretch.

Second, the Phillies clear first base for Rhys Hoskins to return to his natural and preferred position.  While Santana is the superior defender of the two, the drop off is better for the Phillies than having Hoskins in left field.  Hoskins rated the poorest in over a decade.

Third, the Phillies added not one, but two relievers who could help the club. Nicasio was a Phillie for a hot minute in 2017, acquired on waivers on August 31 and traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on September 7. There were some rumblings that the Phillies were interested in Nicasio before last year, but Nicasio went to Seattle on a two-year, $17 million deal.

At 1-6 with a 6.00 earned run average, the numbers are not inspiring.  But Nicasio posted a 2.99 FIP.  FIP, or fielding independent pitching, measures essentially what an earned run average would look like if the club gave the pitcher league-average defense behind him.  That is quite the disparity; Mariners manager Scott Servais called him "unlucky".

As for Pazos, the Phillies are getting another lefty arm for the bullpen.  The Phillies let Luis Avilan go on Friday when they declined to offer him a contract for 2019.  The Phillies perhaps knew this was in the works.  Pezos went 4-1 with a 2.88 earned run average for the Mariners in 2018 and has been reliable in his career.  He remains under team control for four seasons and is not even arbitration eligible until next season.

The Phillies are unloading $35 million total dollars for two years of Santana and are taking back approximately $69 million.  The Mariners will save just under $7 million in 2019, unless they move Santana, too.  The Phillies give up no prospects beyond Crawford and Santana.

The deal was officially announced Monday afternoon.

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