The Philadelphia Phillies have confirmed they reached a deal with former Cleveland Guardians power hitter Oscar Mercado.
They’ve extended an invitation for him to join spring training, alongside former Red Sox utility man Christian Arroyo.
Oscar Mercado, 30, has played parts of five seasons in the MLB with the Guardians, Phillies, and St. Louis Cardinals. He made his debut in 2019 and immediately made an impact with Cleveland, hitting 15 home runs in 115 games, adding 15 stolen bases, and driving in 54 RBIs. With 25 doubles, he appeared to be a key piece for Cleveland’s future, but he’s struggled to match that success since then.
Mercado had a rough 2020, batting just .128 in the shortened season, and in 2021, he hit .224 over 72 games. In 2022, he posted a .207 average in just 55 games, before playing 20 games with the Cardinals in 2023.
He didn’t play in the majors in 2024, spending the year in Triple-A with the Padres and Tigers, where he hit .222 in 93 games. This winter, he struggled even more, hitting just .169 in Puerto Rico’s winter ball.
Making the Phillies’ roster will be challenging, considering they have one of the deepest teams in baseball, but Mercado could potentially impress enough to attract interest from other teams.
In his minor league career, Mercado has a .255 average with 69 home runs and 384 RBIs. Last season, the Phillies won the NL East but were eliminated in the NLDS by the New York Mets.
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