The Phillies on Tuesday acquired veteran slugger Jose Bautista from the New York Mets.
The Phillies will send cash or a player to be named later to the Mets.
To make room for Bautista on the 40-man roster, the Phillies designated pitcher Mark Leiter Jr., for assignment. Bautista will be eligible for the postseason because he was acquired before Sept. 1.
Bautista, 37, will serve as a right-handed power bat off the bench. It's a similar role to the one the team assigned to Justin Bour, who was acquired in a waiver deal earlier this month. Bour is on the disabled list with an oblique strain, but the Phillies don't believe he will be out long.
Bautista has swatted 342 homers in a 15-year career. He is no longer the player he was in his prime with Toronto. He is hitting just .196 in 280 at-bats with the Atlanta Braves and Mets this season, but he still has pop. Eleven of his 55 hits are homers.
