Phillies acquire catcher Ramos from Rays, reliever Loup from Jays
BOSTON — With time running down before Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies got creative in their pursuit of more offence and satisfied their need for another left-handed reliever.
The Phillies acquired veteran catcher Wilson Ramos and cash considerations from the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named or cash. Ramos, 30, hasn’t played since July 14 because of a left hamstring injury but is expected back from the disabled list in August.
After completing the Ramos deal, the Phillies got lefty reliever Aaron Loup from the Toronto Blue Jays for triple-A right-hander Jacob Waguespack.
Ramos, 30, was batting .297 with a .346 on-base percentage, 14 home runs and a .488 slugging percentage in 315 plate appearances for the Rays this season. He’s eligible for free agency after the season.
According to one National League talent evaluator, Ramos doesn’t represent much of a defensive upgrade for the Phillies, who have gotten below-average defence behind the plate from catchers Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp. But Ramos has an .834 OPS, compared to a combined .709 from Alfaro and Knapp.
In the weeks before the deadline, the Phillies targeted high-strikeout relievers to help mitigate their overall poor defence, according to multiple league sources, and prioritized left-handers. They wound up with Loup. The 30-year-old has a 4.54 ERA in 35 2/3 innings this season for the Blue Jays, but he has averaged 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings and held left-handed hitters to a .357 slugging percentage.
Ramos is a .271 hitter with a .315 on-base percentage, 108 homers and .752 OPS in 11 seasons with the Washington Nationals and the Rays.
Loup has a 3.47 ERA and an average of 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings in seven big-league seasons, all with Toronto.