Phillies Reportedly Looking Into Tanner Roark for Solid Rotation Depth
By Parker White
Contending teams are looking tirelessly for frontline starters, but sometimes you have to settle and add quality depth.
According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Philadelphia Phillies are keeping an eye on Cincinnati Reds veteran right-handed starter Tanner Roark.
Phillies are among teams looking at Tanner Roark. As always they prefer pitchers with team control beyond 2019, but there are few of those available.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 26, 2019
The 32-year-old right-hander has made 20 starts for a competitive Reds squad this year, owning a 6-6 record with a 3.95 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 107 innings.
Roark may not be a Game 1 starter, but he brings more to the table than most of Philadelphia's starters, who own a 4.49 ERA collectively this season.
Report: Phillies among suitors looking at Reds' Roark https://t.co/BvI6uOzUdh pic.twitter.com/DhQMrEr1LI
— theScore MLB (@theScoreMLB) July 26, 2019
Roark is a free agent at season's end, so this would purely be a rental for the Phillies. While that isn't what most clubs are looking for, at the very least they would be acquiring a starter who eats innings and has a familiarity with the NL East after spending the first part of his career in Washington.
He should also cost very little.