Phillies: Five MLB Trade Deadline Takeaways

Takeaway Three: No one is safe.

If you were to have asked me the Saturday before the Trade Deadline week who the Phils would make untouchable, I would have said a top three of Velasquez, Maikel Franco, and Aaron Nola.

Then, the following Friday happened and my world was flipped upside down because the Phillies and Rangers had engaged in “serious” discussions about VV.  I could not believe it.  He is a 23-year-old with tantalizing stuff.  He is something we have not had in a long time.  Young, flame throwing, and intense as anyone I have ever seen on a mound.

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What it should teach all of us is that no one is really safe.  I would make a possible exception to say Franco is because he plays a position where the organization has very little depth.  Other than the young third baseman though, there is probably no one on this roster that is untouchable.

Think about the Velasquez situation for a moment.  Sure, he is young.  Yeah, his stuff is ridiculously explosive.  The problem is that he has a real difficulty with his pitch count and could hit the disabled list as quickly as his fastball reaches the plate.  Vinny is also plagued by an extremely deep system of right-handed pitchers.

What I am saying is that for the right price, anyone on their roster is expendable.  Odubel Herrera plays a position that the Phillies have depth at and is still controlled for a few more seasons.  He was an All-Star this season, so he may be moved in the winter.  Velasquez could be another guy whose name reappears when the Winter Meetings roll around.  I would expect Klentak to put all the names out there for teams if the return is right.

And as we have learned about Matty K, the return will have to be right.

Next: Takeaway Four: This doesn't change the timeline of the rebuild