The Philadelphia Phillies need bullpen help bad if they want to stay afloat in October. Even their most trusted arms are unreliable at times, especially their current closer, Jordan Romano. Romano blew Wednesday night's game for the Phillies against the Toronto Blue Jays, getting walked off on by his former team.
In order to limit those performances from their bullpen, the Phillies need to trade for a few high-leverage relievers mentioned by ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Jeff Passan lists Pete Fairbanks and Kyle Finnegan as trade deadline options for the Phillies
In his recent early trade deadline preview for ESPN, MLB insider Jeff Passan listed every team's objective at this year's deadline, with fits for buyers like the Phillies. Passan's objective for the Phillies is obviously to strengthen their bullpen, with Pete Fairbanks of the Tampa Bay Rays being listed as the best fit for the club. The Washington Nationals' Kyle Finnegan is also thrown out there as a low-cost option, with Passan suggesting that they may even be interested in trading for more than two relievers.
Fairbanks has been the shutdown guy in the Rays' bullpen since his first full season with the team in 2020. He saved 25 games in 2023 in his first season as the Rays' permanent closer, followed by 23 in 2024 and 11 so far in 2025.
Across seven total seasons with Tampa Bay, Fairbanks has sported a sub-3.00 ERA at 2.90 with 295 strikeouts in 229 innings. Fairbanks has a club option for 2026, and his ability to generate constant whiffs makes him a solid fit as the Phillies' potential closer.
Pete Fairbanks, K'ing the Side in the 9th pic.twitter.com/ulBThbfziw
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 4, 2025
Finnegan has become pretty familiar with the Phillies over the years, and he'll surely be glad to pitch for them instead of against them. The 2024 All-Star has solid overall numbers for his career, with a 3.49 ERA and 105 saves, although no team has had his number more than the Phillies.
Finnegan's career WHIP of 1.321 is around league-average, and like Fairbanks, he's a free agent after the season and could serve as a reliable rental reliever for the Phillies.
Trea Turner makes sure that bell is rung at The Bank! 🔔 pic.twitter.com/4jmEobdX5g
— MLB (@MLB) August 17, 2024
Front office executives around the league know that the Phillies will be extra desperate in their search for quality relievers this deadline in the wake of the José Alvarado suspension. Their desperation will be used against them to drive up the price for elite arms like the St. Louis Cardinals' Ryan Helsley. That's why it's more realistic for them to trade a lower-level prospect or two for guys like Fairbanks and Finnegan, as Passan alluded to.