Phillies trade rumors have quieted down despite the moves being made
Phillies general manager Matt Klentak has done an excellent job at keeping the Phillies trade rumors to a minimum despite making a ton of moves this summer. He’s primarily focused on the offense, adding Wilson Ramos, Justin Bour, and Asdrubal Cabrera while adding Aaron Loup to the bullpen.
Are the Phillies done after adding Bour through a waiver claim over the weekend? The rumors haven’t been there, although many of these waiver deals come out of nowhere, much like the Bour deal, because we don’t know who will be made available on the waiver market.
Non-contending teams are likely to put everyone on waivers to see what they can get. It’s not completely out of the realm of possibility Klentak can make another deal, but it’s not something we’ll hear about until it happens.
The bullpen has been much better this summer after posting a 5.79 ERA in June. Pat Neshek’s return has something to do with that after he missed the first couple of months with arm injuries.
Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia’s bullpen has a 3.83 ERA this season, 12th in baseball, and doesn’t have as much wear and tear as you may think. They’ve only pitched in 394.1 innings, the third-fewest in the National League. They’re first in the National League with 80 holds and third with 34 saves, showing an ability to keep the team in games late.
Yet this bullpen still feels like it needs one more established arm to get the job done and to ease our worries. It doesn’t need to be a superstar reliever who can save the day every day, but more of a Scott Eyre-type who quietly comes in and pitches effectively.
Given where the Phillies stand on the waiver wire, which is towards the bottom given their success, it’s unlikely a Sergio Romo or Raisel Iglesias becomes an option unless both clear waivers. That’s unlikely given their success and Iglesias’s controllability.
Tony Watson would have been the ideal addition, in my mind, if San Francisco made him available. He’s a controllable veteran lefty with postseason experience, but the Giants are too close to let a player like that go.
Maybe San Diego moves Craig Stammen or the Marlins make another deal involving their young relievers. Stammen has a lot of holds, but has allowed 40% of inherited runners to score this year.
Klentak appears to have turned his attention to winning this year instead of developing. While developing is still a priority, the Phillies window has officially opened, and they can’t afford to miss again.
Ultimately I think they get one more deal done before the August 31 deadline, but don’t expect it to be a blockbuster name.