The Phillies have added another outfield piece, acquiring Kameron Misner from the Royals for cash considerations and sending him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
To make room on the 40-man roster, Philadelphia designated fellow outfielder Steward Berroa for assignment.
Misner’s move is the second trade in the last eight months for the outfielder after a DFA. Kansas City got him from the Rays in November soon after Tampa Bay designated him, then brought him up in June when Kyle Isbel landed on the injured list. Misner appeared in 18 games and got 44 plate appearances for the Royals, hitting .220/.256/.244 before being optioned back to Triple-A shortly before the All-Star break.
The Royals designated him earlier this week, and now he lands with a Phillies club that has been openly seeking outfield help. This move doesn’t look like the kind that ends that search. Instead, Misner projects as a depth addition who can cover all three outfield spots and chip in on the bases, essentially taking over the role Berroa had filled.
From a roster standpoint, the swap is a near even trade. Both players are in their final minor league option year, so Philadelphia isn’t really gaining flexibility there.
Misner does bring the more extensive big league résumé, with 97 games and 276 plate appearances compared with Berroa’s 36 games and 58 plate appearances. He also has the stronger minor league track record, including a .243/.361/.470 line over 1473 career Triple-A plate appearances.
Berroa, meanwhile, has been through this before. This is the fourth time in his career he has been designated for assignment, and each of the first three times led to a trade. He previously moved from the Blue Jays to the Dodgers to the Brewers and then, in April, to the Phillies.
His time in Philadelphia was brief. Berroa played in six games and recorded one single in seven plate appearances, with most of his work coming as a late-inning defensive replacement. Because he has never been outrighted, he cannot refuse an outright assignment, which means the Phillies can take him off the 40-man roster and send him to Lehigh Valley if he clears waivers.
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