Skip to main content

Phillies acquire RHP Morton, full Giles trade details announced

mortonAs a busy week continued for the 99-loss Phillies, news was released confirming another swap as the team sent minor league hurler David Whitehead to Pittsburgh for starting pitcher Charlie Morton.

The 32-year-old Morton is best known for his mechanics which resemble Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay. In 158 career big league games, the righty sports a 34-70 record along with a 4.54 ERA.

Whitehead, a pitcher not particularly close to the Phillies' top 25 prospects, posted a 9-11 record with a 4.44 ERA and a .291 batting average against for the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers last season.

The addition of Morton likely locks him into a rotation spot as the team's veteran, although he isn't a workhorse, having never thrown 30 or more starts in a season and making more than 26 starts in a year only one time.

Morton will join newly acquired pitcher Jeremy Hellickson as the only locks to be Phils starters. Rookies Aaron Nola (the Phils' 1st round pick from 2014 could also have a rotation spot clinched), Alec Asher, Jerad Eickhoff, Adam Morgan as well as some names from the Kenny Giles swap with Houston who will all work toward earning places in the starting rotation.


Firm details on that reported swap of Giles were announced on Saturday as well. The deal also sends 17-year-old shortstop Jonathan Arauz to the Astros. He is a solid-hitting youngster that is expendable to the Phils based on the organization's depth at the position.

The trade also now includes the top overall selection from the 2013 draft, Mark Appel coming to the Phillies as well as pitcher Harold Arauz. Others that were included in previous reports (Vincent Velasquez, Brett Oberholtzer and Thomas Eshelman) are still on their way to the Phils.

Appel pitched in 25 combined games at Double-A and Triple-A last year. The 24-year-old tallied a 10-3 record with a 4.37 ERA and a 7.5 K/9 in 2015. He is thought by some to already be a bust, based on his production compared to his draft position, which was 1st overall in 2013.

Harold Arauz, 20, is a native of Panama that sported a 0-5 record with a 5.75 ERA and a 9.1 K/9 mark in 15 games, mainly as a starter, in the Class A short season New York-Penn League last season.

Giles originally signed with the Phillies after they made him their 7th round draft selection in 2011. He became the team's closer this summer following the trade of All-Star Jonathan Papelbon to Washingt

To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the Phils designated reliever Dan Otero.

This article originally appeared on Phillies Nation.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Eric B Needs to be Cut (and My Name is Rakim)

While the Phillies are on a hot streak this month, one player on the team is not. Eric Bruntlett is 1-for-12 in July. Since the start of May, Bruntlett's apex in batting average has been .167 on June 14th. Bruntlett's ineptitude can be tolerated no longer. Get rid of this guy NOW! Eric B. is the 2009 Endy Chavez. Remember Endy...the guy who in 2005 managed just 2 hits in his final 42 games played as a Phillie? That is about the sort of output the Phillies are getting from Bruntlett, and it's time to fix this void. Julio Lugo was designated for assignment last week by the Red Sox and is expected to become a free agent. The Metropolitans are rumored to be interested. Why wouldn't the Phillies be interested in a guy who could surely outhit Bruntlett? Lugo was hitting .284 through 37 games played this season with Boston. Suspended Lehigh Valley IronPig Pablo Ozuna is eligible to return next Wednesday. Ozuna is batting .294 through 51 games at triple A. Miguel Cairo is also...

Yankees Fans Misled By Pepsi Promotion

**** Today, New York Yankees fans attended a Pepsi promotion in Times Square hoping for chances to win opening day tickets to the new stadium, but the tickets, which were difficult to track down due to poor organization on Pepsi's part, were actually for a game in June. Furthermore, the 250 pairs that were promised were actually only 100 pairs. The fans, who were made to sprint through traffic over multiple city blocks when locations for the promotion changed, quickly turned against the soda brand by pooring out their beverages and chanting anti-Pepsi phrases. Yankees fans are even threatening a boycott of Pepsi. An appearance by Yankee great Goose Gossage could not even settle the angry mob, as he had to be whisked away, as a precaution, according to the Daily News . Ooo , I'd hate to see what "the worst fans in sports" (Philadelphia fans) would have done to their free Pepsi cans and beloved reliever in that situation. Because this happened in a non-Philly city, th...

5th spot, Wall, Old timers, Links

The race for the Phillies' fifth starter spot is still on. While it's not fully fair to compare Grapefruit League stats, when some of the pitchers have had "B game" and scrimmage outings mixed in, Kyle Kendrick and Carlos Carrasco look to be falling behind Chan Ho Park and "Jay" Happ. Happ added to his solid Grapefruit League stats (2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP in 4 games) today against the Rays. Pitching coach Rich Dubee had been displeased with Kendrick even before he surrendered 8 earned runs in 3 innings of work yesterday against the Braves. Park has been working on improving his change up, with (Coach) Jamie Moyer. Park noticed Moyer's location control on his change, so he sought out Moyer to teach him the grip and positioning of the ball. Moyer, of course, feels good about helping anyone on the Phils' staff. Park has been coached by greats like Nolan Ryan with the Rangers and Sandy Koufax with the Dodgers, so Moyer is in great company. Park is working h...