Report: Jason Vargas Traded to Phillies 1 Day After Mets Deal for Marcus Stroman

The Philadelphia Phillies upgraded their rotation Monday from within the division, acquiring pitcher Jason Vargas in a trade with the New York Mets, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

New York will receive minor league catcher Austin Bossart in return, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

The left-handed Vargas is currently 6-5 with a 4.01 ERA in 94.1 innings this season. During his first year with the Mets in 2018, he finished with a 5.77 ERA in 92 innings.

The Phillies enter Monday 55-50, one game out of a wild-card spot, but pitching has been a major problem for them.

Aaron Nola, who is 9-2 with a 3.72 ERA, is the only Phillies starter with an ERA lower than four. The rest of the rotation has been wildly inconsistent, even with Jake Arrieta and Zach Eflin capable of big games.

Vargas, meanwhile, has held opponents to three earned runs or fewer in 15 of his last 16 starts. He also struck out a season-high 10 batters in 6.1 innings during his last start against the Phillies.

If he remains consistent, the 36-year-old could be a reliable weapon over the coming months. He also has a $8 million team option for 2020, so he could become a valuable contributor for next year if things go well.

Meanwhile, the Mets have dealt away a part of their rotation after acquiring Marcus Stroman from the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. At 50-55, they appear to be caught in the middle of being buyers and sellers, with pitchers Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard also potentially on the move.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post broke down a problem with the recent strategy:

Bossart also isn't expected to provide much. The 26-year-old is hitting .195 in 63 games in Double-A this season.

This is the second straight deadline deal between the Mets and Phillies. Last season, the Mets sent Asdrubal Cabrera to the Phillies for minor league pitcher Franklyn Kilome.