Phillies claim Óscar Mercado off waivers from Guardians

With Bryce Harper out for the foreseeable future with a fractured left thumb, the Philadelphia Phillies made a potentially intriguing addition to their organization Monday, as they hope to stay afloat in the playoff race during the reigning National League MVP’s absence.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced on the off day that the team has claimed outfielder Óscar Mercado off of waivers from the Cleveland Guardians.

While the Phillies say that a corresponding move is coming to open up a 26-man roster spot once Mercado reports, they have already cleared a 40-man roster spot by recalling LHP Damon Jones and placing him on the 60-day injured list with a left shoulder impingement.

Mercado has played in parts of four major league seasons with the Guardians, slashing .235/.287/.388 with 26 home runs, 95 RBIs and a .676 OPS. Before being designated for assignment, Mercado had been slashing .202/.227/.377 for Cleveland.

With his struggles so far in 2022 acknowledged, it’s worth pointing out that Mercado is a former second-round pick that is still only 27 years old. He finished eighth in American League Rookie of the Year Award voting in 2019, when he homered 15 times, drove in 54 runs and posted a 2.2 fWAR.

What’s more, Mercado can play all three outfield positions proficiently, including center field, where he has 11 career defensive runs saved.

The right-handed outfielder is a case of the Phillies making a low-risk, potentially medium-to-high-reward investment. It certainly won’t be the last addition that Dombrowski and company make in advance of the Aug. 2 trade deadline.

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