PHILLIES HOPE HELLICKSON BOUNCES BACK
The Philadelphia Phillies acquired pitcher Jeremy Hellickson from the Arizona Diamondbacks for pitcher Sam McWilliams.
What does it give the Philadelphia Phillies
The rebuilding Phillies need as many serviceable rotation options as they can get, and Hellickson can be just that. Still, he's been disappointing for most of his MLB career. At age 28 he should be in his prime, and Hellickson definitely has talent; he's a former American League Rookie of the Year (2011) and a former Gold Glove winner. If Hellickson can somehow find a way to harness his stuff and cut down on his homers allowed (which will be tough in Philly's ballpark), he might be a steal.
What does it give the Arizona Diamondbacks
McWilliams is a lanky right-hander who showed some promise in rookie ball last season, but for the D'backs this deal looks to be more about freeing up cash for free agency this winter. Not only does 'Zona open up a spot on the big club, they also shedded over $6 million from the books by moving Hellickson's contract at this time. Overall, this was an excellent move by the Diamondbacks.
Fantasy impact
It's hard to see Hellickson's fantasy value improving at all in the coming campaign; he's moving to a home ballpark that's far more homer-friendly than Arizona's, and homer generosity has been a long-term problem for him. His arrival probably stalls the chances at MLB relevance for a handful of promising Phillies pitchers, including Jessie Biddle. On the Diamondbacks side of the deal, expect this trade to possibly open up more starts for promising right-hander Zack Godley.
