Pete Mackanin opens up about Phillies' prospects with trade deadline looming

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If the Phillies do the expected and shake up their roster before the July 31 trade deadline, the minor leaguers manager Pete Mackanin would most like to see are reliever Jesen Therrien and first baseman Rhys Hoskins.

Mackanin was quick to add the play of the Phils’ current first baseman, Tommy Joseph, complicates matters when it comes to Hoskins.

“Tommy Joseph’s been doing well enough to where you just can’t forget about Tommy,” Mackanin said before Saturday’s game against Milwaukee. “So that becomes an issue.”

Joseph entered Saturday’s game slashing .249/.310/.449, with 15 homers and 45 RBIs. His homer total led the team. Hoskins, while slumping lately, was slashing .279/.373/.550 for Triple A Lehigh Valley heading into Saturday’s game at Durham. He had 21 homers and 70 RBIs.

“We’d all like to see Rhys Hoskins,” Mackanin said. “There’s just a matter of him getting playing time.”

Therrien, a right-hander, began the season with Double A Reading, going 2-1 with a 1.26 ERA in 21 games while converting seven of eight save opportunities. That resulted in a promotion to Lehigh Valley. He had not recorded a decision before Saturday, but in 16 games owned a 1.75 ERA while converting both his save chances.

Mackanin expects another righty reliever, Edubray Ramos, to return to the big-league club at some point. Ramos was 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in nine games with the IronPigs before Saturday.

The manager also remains high on outfielder Dylan Cozens, despite Cozens’ low batting average (.236) and high strikeout total (130, in 352 at-bats) for Lehigh Valley. Cozens, who owned a .314 on-base percentage and .469 slugging percentage entering the game at Durham, had accumulated 22 homers and 61 RBIs.

“I think he’s going to be a heck of a hitter with power,” Mackanin said. “He strikes out an awful lot, but I’d still like to see him. I’d like to see what he does up here. I’m not politicking for him, but I would like to see him.”

Mackanin had little to say about shortstop J.P. Crawford, who has begun to show some pop after a slow start at Triple A. 

“That’s a positive,” Mackanin said of Crawford, who overall is slashing .221/.332/.356.

The play of Freddy Galvis this season has made that a moot point.

“I wouldn’t want to have to replace him,” Mackanin said. “That’s how important I think he is right now to us.”

Mackanin also adopted a wait-and-see stance on catcher Jorge Alfaro, who began Saturday slashing .246/.300/.360 for Lehigh Valley, with six homers and 40 RBIs.

“I look at the numbers, and statistics mean something,” the manager said. “If you’re hitting in the .240s, that doesn’t necessarily warrant a promotion to the big leagues.”

Mackanin did add that Alfaro has shown improvement defensively, and added that his youth (24) and tools work in in favor.

“He’s just been inconsistent,” Mackanin said. “He’s a tool player. Tools are great, but we want the potential to come out.”

Medical report
Mackanin said outfielder Daniel Nava is “day to day” with a strained left hamstring sustained in Friday’s game against the Brewers.

The manager also said outfielder Aaron Altherr, on the disabled list since July 15 with a strained right hamstring, has made “very good progress” and could be activated as soon as Tuesday.

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