The NL East leading Philadelphia Phillies make a significant upgrade to their roster, adding All-Star catcher Wilson Ramos from Tampa Bay.
The Philadelphia Phillies are adding another dangerous bat to their lineup for the playoff push.
The Phillies are acquiring All-Star catcher Wilson Ramos from the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan. The Rays will receive a player to be named later of cash considerations.
Ramos was voted in as the American League starter for the All-Star game after hitting .297 with 14 home runs in the first half of the season. He suffered a hamstring injury just before the All-Star break, however, and did not play in the game. He has not appeared in a game since July 14. Despite missing time, his 53 RBI are still tied for the league lead among catchers.
The 30-year-old Ramos made his first All-Star appearance with the Washington Nationals in 2016. He hit .307 that season with 22 homers and 80 RBI. On Sept. 26, however, he suffered a torn ACL which ended his year and forced him to miss the first three months of the next season. The Rays took a chance and signed him to a two-year, $12.5 million deal before the 2017 season.
Originally signed by the Minnesota Twins as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela in 2004, Ramos made his Major League debut with the Twins in 2010. In his nine-year career he has a .271 average with 108 home runs and 409 RBI.
Adding Ramos is a significant upgrade to the Phillies lineup. Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp have split time at catcher this season, but are hitting just .254 and .223, respectively. Ramos joins a team that already boasts quality batters like Rhys Hoskins, Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera.
The Phillies felt they needed to bolster their offense, as they are currently just a half game ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the NL East lead. They have not made the playoffs since 2011.
The Rays, meanwhile, have been busy as they approach Tuesday’s trade deadline. Earlier they added Tommy Pham from the St. Louis Cardinals, while starting pitcher Chris Archer remains the target of trade rumors.