PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies have found a left-handed power bat for their bench for the final few weeks of the season.
The Phillies acquired first baseman Justin Bour and cash from the Marlins for Minor League left-hander McKenzie Mills, the club announced on Friday afternoon. The deal immediately jogged memories of the Phillies' trade that brought Matt Stairs from Toronto to Philly in August 2008.
Bour hit .227 with 19 home runs, 54 RBIs and a .759 OPS in 447 plate appearances with the Marlins. He has an .835 OPS against right-handed pitching and, interestingly, he has hit .304 with two home runs, six RBIs, 16 walks and a 1.227 OPS in 11 games against the second-place Braves, who the Phillies play seven times in their final 11 games.
Bour could start occasionally at first base, but the more likely scenario is that Bour becomes a weapon off the bench for Phillies manager Gabe Kapler.
The Phillies' bench for the moment will include Bour, catcher Andrew Knapp, outfielder Roman Quinn and either infielder Scott Kingery or infielder J.P. Crawford. Kingery currently is on the 25-man roster. Crawford is not. Bour essentially takes the bench job that players like Dylan CozensMitch Walding and others occupied at times.
The bench will change again whenever catcher Wilson Ramos is activated from the 10-day disabled list and the roster expands as early as Sept. 1.
Bour, who should benefit from playing half his games at cozy Citizens Bank Park compared to cavernous Marlins Park, cannot become a free agent until after the 2020 season. It remains to be seen what will happen with Bour in the future, but for the moment the Phillies hope he can hit a few home runs down the stretch. And, maybe, hit a moon shot like Stairs did in the 2008 postseason.
MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal first reported the trade.
Todd Zolecki/ MLB.com
 

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