In Trade with A’s, Phillies Take a Gamble on Former Top-Rated Prospect

The Philadelphia Phillies have secured outfielder Cristian Pache from the Oakland Athletics, parting ways with minor league right-handed pitcher Billy Sullivan in the deal.

To accommodate Pache on the 40-man roster, the Phillies have moved first baseman Rhys Hoskins to the 60-day injured list.

As reported by MLB Trade Rumors:

Pache, a 24-year-old once hailed as one of baseball’s top prospects, is celebrated for his outstanding defensive abilities, although his offensive performance has yet to match his defensive prowess at the major league level.

With Pache out of minor league options and overtaken on the Athletics’ depth chart by Esteury Ruiz, who was acquired in a recent trade, Oakland manager Mark Kotsay had already indicated that Pache would not make the team and that trade opportunities were being explored.

Philadelphia, in search of a versatile outfielder, is expected to use Pache as a backup and a right-handed option to complement left-handed center fielder Brandon Marsh. Pache’s defensive skills are a strategic fit for the Phillies, allowing him to enhance late-game defensive plays either in the outfield corners or by moving into center field, thereby enabling Marsh to shift to a corner position.

Billy Sullivan, who is about to turn 24, has primarily served as a reliever and spent the past season at Double-A. During his 51 innings across 44 appearances, Sullivan recorded a 4.59 ERA. Despite a 15% walk rate, he managed to strike out 32.1% of the batters he faced and achieved a 45.5% ground ball rate, according to MLB Trade Rumors.