The San Francisco Giants have had a very disappoint seaosn despite having a roster full of highly paid stars.
Jung Hoo Lee is having a career year, hitting .315 with a .794 OPS. Since the start of June, he has a .827 OPS and 38 hits. He had a strong case to be an All-Star in the National League, but was snubbed. Now, he figures to be a hot name in trade talks over the next few weeks.
The Giants are reportedly open to trading some of their big-contract players, but not every team will be able to take on those kinds of salaries. The Philadelphia Phillies have an aggressive front office and have never shied away from spending. They should consider acquiring Lee from the Giants.
Brandon Marsh was named an All-Star this year, but the other two outfield spots for the Phillies could use an upgrade. With Adolis Garcia out for the season, Lee would be a great fit. He is not an elite defender, but he could improve the Phillies' offense greatly. The Phillies rank 20th in batting average, and a player like Lee could really help them.
He gets on base at a high clip and does not strike out much. He is in the 98th percentile for strikeout rate and the 97th percentile for whiff rate. Putting him in front of hitters like Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper could be great. His own power numbers could increase after leaving San Francisco, where it is historically tough to hit home runs, unless your name is Barry Bonds.
The Phillies could offer to take on the remainder of Lee's six-year, $113 million contract in exchange for a minimal prospect return. It would give them an outfielder for the next few years without sacrificing too much in the farm system.