3 dream blockbuster trades that would help Phillies dominate NL East in second half

The 2025 Philadelphia Phillies are following the same template as they have the past few seasons. With their sights set on reaching the postseason for the fourth straight season and winning the NL East for the second year in a row, they will be obvious buyers at the trade deadline. In years past, the team made minor, yet necessary, moves to upgrade positions of need.

The team acquired starting pitching help with Noah Syndergaard in 2022 and Michael Lorenzen in 2023. They've also been known to be one of the more reliever-hungry teams every deadline, like when they acquired Carlos Estévez last year. If the Phillies want to go above and beyond to capture their second straight division crown and then some, they should swing for the fences with these all-in trades.

3 dream blockbuster trades fans would love to see to help Phillies win NL East

Paul Skenes, PIT

The Phillies aren't getting any younger, which is why this is a make-or-break year for them to finally win it all with their core. Trading for superstar starting pitcher Paul Skenes would signify that this front office really means business. The Pittsburgh Pirates' 23-year-old star has already formed into one of the best players in the entire league. In just over one total year of MLB action, Skenes has accumulated an incredible 1.91 career ERA with a 0.92 WHIP.

Skenes also has a well-above league-average ERA+ of 229 in his career, thanks to his intimidating pitch mix that he's used to rack up 276 strikeouts over 235 innings pitched.

With the Pirates again sitting in the cellar of the National League, Skenes has been thrown out there as a trade candidate, though Pittsburgh has remained adamant (subscription required) that they will not deal their No. 1 overall pick from just two years ago, according to The Athletic's Jim Bowden. Any trade for Skenes would demand an all-time haul that we've never before seen for a pitcher (think about the Juan Soto to San Diego trade on steroids).

For the Phillies, that would look like Andrew Painter plus one of Aidan Miller or Justin Crawford and more. They're all top-100 prospects, and the Phillies have said that Painter and Miller are off-limits this trade deadline. However, a proven young commodity in Skenes who's under team control through 2029 is the type of franchise-altering player that warrants that package.

Emmanuel Clase, CLE

While starting pitching is at the bottom of the list of the Phillies' of needs currently, a strong shutdown reliever is right at the top. They could find just that in Emmanuel Clase, the Cleveland Guardians' star closer. The Phillies have lacked a shutdown closer ever since José Alvarado was lost to a PED suspension in May. While they'll have Alvarado's services back in August after he serves his 80-game suspension, he is ineligible for the postseason, which is where Clase really comes into play.

Clase's numbers this season are understandably down after his 2024 season that saw him place third in AL Cy Young voting. His 0.61 ERA, 0.66 WHIP and 47 saves in 50 opportunities made for one of the best seasons ever for a reliever. The "down" numbers for Clase in 2025 would still be gladly welcomed by the Phillies, with his 3.48 ERA and 18 saves.

Though he struggled in the playoffs last year, Clase is the reliable shutdown closer the Phillies need to ride in October, similar to Brad Lidge in 2008. The unlikelihood that Clase is dealt is due to the Guardians' current positioning as a Wild Card team. If they were to sell, Cleveland could possibly look for Crawford, Mick Abel, and another lower-level prospect in return for Clase, who is under contract through the 2026 season.

Mike Trout, LAA

This one is admittedly a little far-fetched, as it's dependent on Trout recapturing his MVP-level production that has made him one of the best players of his generation. It's unclear how many teams are willing to trade for a 33-year-old Trout who has played in over 100 games only once since 2020. However, the Trout-to-Philly rumblings have made too much sense for almost a decade now.

The Millville, New Jersey product hasn't been shy about showing off his Philadelphia sports fandom over the years, especially with the reigning Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles.

He was even recruited to Philadelphia by Bryce Harper during his introductory press conference in March 2019, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. That became a little more difficult after Trout signed a 12-year, $426.5 million extension later that month to stay in Anaheim.

Trout's body breaking down has caused him to switch to right field and designated hitter more often this year. It also caused his offensive production to dip dramatically, with a .227/.324/.443 slash line so far in 2025. That's a far cry from the insane numbers we were used to seeing out of Trout from 2012-2019, when he won three AL MVPs. However, a change in scenery and the opportunity to play close to home may not be a bad thing for Trout.

Any trade package for Trout would require a few prospects and MLB-ready pitching, which may look something like Crawford and Phillies' No. 15 prospect Carson DeMartini, plus Abel or Seth Johnson. Or perhaps the Phillies could give up less prospect capital if they're willing to take on some of the remaining $200+ million left on Trout's contract.

It doesn't make sense that Trout willingly wants to stay with the Angels, since he has played only three playoff games in his illustrious Hall of Fame career. This also doesn't make perfect sense for the Phillies future-wise, although it just seems right that Trout should come home and contribute towards a World Series run.

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