The rich get richer. On Friday night the Philadelphia Phillies acquired the top remaining bat on the trade market, landing outfielder Hunter Pence in multi-player deal.

Already boasting one of the best starting rotations in the history of baseball, the Phillies are now the clear favorites to win the National League and the likely frontrunners to win this year’s World Series.

For Pence he’s going from the worst team in baseball to the best. He gained 31.5 games in the standings over night.

He should provide immediate relief for an offense that has struggled. Entering Friday, Pence was hitting 72 points higher and slugging 74 points higher than Phillies right fielders. He also hits from the right side of the plate and the Phillies as a team have struggled against lefties this season.

MORE TRADE NEWS (MLBTradeRumors.com)

Fantasy Baseball, MLB houston astros, philadelphia phillies, 2011 mlb trade deadline, hunter pence

from official press release...

Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Walt Jocketty today announced the acquisition of minor league LHP Chris Manno and OF Bill Rhinehart from the Washington Nationals in exchange for OF Jonny Gomes and cash considerations.

1B/OF Yonder Alonso (#23) was recalled from Class AAA Louisville to replace Gomes on the Reds' roster. He will be in uniform for tonight's game against the New York Mets at Great American Ball Park.

Gomes, 30, this season for the Reds hit .211 with 11 HR and 31 RBI in 77 appearances and 59 starts.

Alonso, 24, this season is an International League All-Star at Louisville and hit .296 with 24 doubles, 4 triples, 12 HR, 56 RBI and 6 stolen bases in 91 games. He made 21 appearances for the Bats at first base and 62 appearances in the outfield.

In each of the last 2 years, Alonso played for the World Team in Major League Baseball's prestigious XM All-Star Futures Game and this season was rated by Baseball America as the 73rd-best prospect in all of baseball. He made his Major League debut last season with 22 appearances and 3 starts for the Reds.

Manno, 22, went 1-3 with a 1.04 ERA and 12 saves in 13 opportunities at Class A Hagerstown (43.1ip, 20h, 15bb, 69k, 1hr, .135 opponents' BA). He was selected by the Nationals out of Duke University in the 26th round of last year's June first-year player draft.

Rhinehart, 26, has spent the 2011 season at Class AA Harrisburg, where in 89 appearances he hit .283 with 21 HR and 59 RBI in 89 games. He was selected by Washington in the 11th round of the June 2007 first-year player draft and was a minor league All-Star that season and again in 2008.

MLB 2011 mlb trade deadline, cincinnati reds, washington nationals, jonny gomes, yonder alonso, walt jocketty