The Philadelphia Phillies will be looking for a partner to trade with in just a couple of weeks. The needs of the bullpen and possibly another outfield bat will give the Phillies every motivation to reach out to other teams and potentially strike a deal. The Arizona Diamondbacks could be the right partner given the current state of each team as they move closer to the postseason.
Arizona has found themselves muddling in a busy NL West with dwindling hopes of another playoff berth. They are looking to bolster their future pitching staff, and the Phillies could be the perfect fit to work with. Few teams have the pitching resources like Philadelphia, so it would be a perfect time to test out what a return could look like.
Diamondbacks reportedly looking for young pitching, Phillies have plenty to offer at trade deadline
The D-backs' rotation has been decimated with injury, and the loss of Corbin Burnes to Tommy John surgery brought them to an all-time low, per MLB.com's Mike Petraglia. According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, they are now looking to bring in young pitching with possibly remaining years of team control in hopes of stabilizing the team for the future.
The Phillies could have some names to offer such as No. 5 prospect Mick Abel, who is 2-2 with a 5.04 ERA in six major league starts. Moisés Chace (No. 7) is another name that could be on the table, although he'll be sidelined until late 2026 with Tommy John surgery. Jean Cabrera (No. 12) is a name in Double-A Reading that could be appealing for the D-backs. If those minor league options won't get it done, they also have the massive influx of pitchers they just drafted, 14 to be exact.
The Phillies have a crowded starting rotation at the moment. There are worse things to have an abundance of, but there just isn't enough room for everyone even a few years down the road. Andrew Painter's ascension further blocks everything else. It would be tough for the Phillies to move on from young pitching, a return could be in the form of Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suárez, who is fourth in MLB with 31 home runs, or even Randal Grichuk, whom the Phillies could use as an outfield replacement. They could also inquire about closer Shelby Miller, although he's currently on the IL and just resuming throwing. There are also other appealing bullpen pieces, like Jalen Beeks, to choose from.
The Diamondbacks are close to a breaking point. As they kick off the second half, they're 48-50 and 5.5 games back of a Wild Card spot. They have the fourth-most runs scored (500) but rank 26th in team ERA (4.64). The Phillies have the ninth-best team ERA in baseball at 3.68 ERA. They also hold the second-best ERA by starters with a 3.29 ERA. The Phillies have every asset to choose from, and they have the fortune of taking advantage of a desperate NL club just looking for a reset.