"Charlie Manuel said he wanted a hitter, a good hitter.

Will Hunter Pence do the trick?

"He's a .300 hitter," Manuel said. "He's got some power. He's a good player. I like him. Yes. I like him quite a bit."

Manuel got his hitter, his lineup upgrade and a proven rightfielder when the Phillies acquired Pence from the Houston Astros for four players on Friday night.

Pence, 28, was pulled from the Astros' game in Milwaukee and hugged Houston teammates when the trade went down. He is expected to arrive in Philadelphia in time to play right field and bat fifth against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night. He will wear No. 3.

Despite an inconsistent offense, the Phillies have the best record in the majors. They hope Pence in the player that completes their roster for a big October run.

"We always try to address our needs," Phils general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said in announcing the deal. "We feel this was the missing piece."

Pence will replace rookie Domonic Brown in the starting lineup. The 23-year-old outfielder could be headed back to Triple A for more seasoning. Brown was not off-limits in trade talks, but the Astros preferred two other A-list Phillies prospects, pitcher Jarred Cosart, 21, and first baseman Jonathan Singleton, 19. The Astros also got 25-year-old minor-league pitcher Josh Zeid and a player to be determined."