Phillies: Power ranking their trade deadline needs in 2020

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CLEVELAND, OHIO – JULY 24: Greg Holland #35 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the sixth inning of the Opening Day game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 24, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians defeated the Royals 2-0. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

The Phillies need one more reliable reliever

1. Another relief pitcher

Relief pitchers are the hot commodity this year, which is why Philadelphia jumped on them early.

Despite already adding David Hale, Heath Hembree, and Brandon Workman the Phillies need at least one more reliable reliever to get through the 2020 season and hopefully into the playoffs.

The front office appeared to be relying on David Robertson coming off Tommy John surgery and helping the team late in 2020, but he’s been shut down after a setback this week in his rehab.

Workman has had his ups and downs since coming over from Boston with a 4.15 ERA in his first four games since the trade. Hembree has been outstanding as a seventh inning guy, while Hale has yet to take the field since the deal with New York.

Philadelphia Phillies /

Philadelphia Phillies

The bullpen needs a set-up man or a long reliever to stabilize the bullpen with Hector Neris, Adam Morgan, and Tommy Hunter being wild cards. Jose Alvarez is still coming back from his unfortunate injury and Ranger Suarez is coming back from COVID-19.

Greg Holland has been the most notable name on the trade block in Kansas City with Trevor Rosenthal already being sent to San Diego. Holland, a three-time All-Star, has a 3.38 ERA and only one home run allowed in 16 innings this year. He’s also got a ton of playoff experience from the Royals 2014 run where he had a 0.82 ERA and seven saves in 11 postseason games.

If the Milwaukee Brewers (14-17) decide to sell, David Phelps would be a sensible option. The righty has a 2.77 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 13 innings and a reasonable $4.5 million option in 2021 with a $250K buyout.

Matt Barnes has been too inconsistent for the Phillies to try out at this point and Josh Hader would cost them too much for too short a time. They’ll need someone like a Holland or Phelps to be their Scott Eyre and get them over the hump in 2020.

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