With a roster crunch looming, the Phillies have agreed to trade left-handed hitting outfielder Jake Cave to the Colorado Rockies, according to a report from Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
Cave, 31, spent 2023 in the Phillies organization after spending five seasons with the Minnesota Twins. Cave has mastered hitting at the minor league level, but has hit just .231/.293/.401 in the big leagues throughout his career.
Cave made the Phillies' Opening Day roster and starting lineup in 2023 after tearing the cover off of the ball in Spring Training, but was eventually optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after struggling to make an impact. Cave absolutely crushed Triple-A pitching at Lehigh Valley, slashing .346/.429/.684 and hitting 16 home runs in 59 games, earning himself another chance in the majors after Phillies superstar Bryce Harper moved from designated hitter to first baseman, but once again struggled.
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Barring another trade, Cave's exile is likely confirmation that right-handed hitting, Gold Glove-caliber outfielders Johan Rojas and Cristian Pache will make the Opening Day roster. Rojas has struggled in Spring Training, while Pache is seen by some as redundant with Rojas on the roster. Pache and Cave were both out of minor league options, meaning the Phillies had to either keep them on the roster, trade them or hope they can pass them through waivers before sending them to the minors.
This leaves the Phillies' bench with three right-handed bats — Pache, super utilityman Whit Merrifield and infielder Edmundo Sosa — and one left-handed bat — catcher Garrett Stubbs.
The potential possessed by Cave, drafted in 2011 by the New York Yankees, has long been evident. But he has never been able to put it all together, and now his time with the Phillies has come to an end.
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