2 Phillies trade rumors we hope come true, 1 we hope doesn’t happen
Plenty of names have been thrown about as rumored Phillies trade deadline targets. Here's how we hope it goes down.
Less than two weeks remain until the July 30 MLB trade deadline, and Philadelphia Phillies trade rumors are swirling.
There seems to be a new name mentioned every day, either from an insider suggesting a possible target or confirming that they've heard the Phillies are watching or looking in on a certain player. And that's not to mention all the random possible trade deadline targets thrown out into the void of social media by various outlets far and wide.
While we still don't know with 100 percent certainty what Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and general manager Sam Fuld are up to, we know they are looking for outfielders. Plus, there are still areas of need for this Phillies team despite having the best record in baseball.
2 Phillies trade rumors we hope come true, 1 we hope doesn’t happen
The outfield continues to be an ongoing problem, with production from Phillies outfielders falling well into the bottom of the league this season, with a 28th-ranked .650 OPS and 83 wRC+ after the first half. That puts them around teams like the Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox — not exactly the outfield offenses you want to be associated with.
The bullpen may not be a dire need like the outfield, but stockpiling proven, high-leverage arms for a deep playoff run is always a good idea — especially after what we witnessed last fall. The Phillies are reportedly seeking bullpen depth (subscription required), per The Athletic. There have been reports that the front office has been scouting and talking to teams about potential bullpen additions. Adding another dependable back-end relief arm to pitch alongside All-Star Jeff Hoffman and José Alvarado in the late innings won't hurt.
So, with the outfield a primary focus, and, to a lesser extent the bullpen, let's jump into some of the trade rumors and see which ones we think the Phillies should pursue and pick one that we hope doesn't happen.
We hope the Tanner Scott trade rumor comes true
Miami Marlins closer Tanner Scott is going to be traded (subscription required) by the time the July 30 trade deadline passes, as confirmed by the Miami Herald's Craig Mish. The basement dwellers of the NL East have made no bones about being sellers this season, and Scott is a perfect candidate to move.
On an expiring contract, the left-hander is a confirmed Phillies' trade deadline target. A couple of questions remain, however. First, will the Marlins sell to a division rival? Second, will the price be fair enough for Dombrowski and Fuld to bite?
We hope the answer to both questions is a resounding "Yes!"
In 39 appearances, Miami's lone All-Star representative has posted a 1.34 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. While those numbers look good just as they are, they include an outrageously bad first month. Since May 7, Scott has a 0.66 ERA and 0.77 WHIP, with a 2.43 FIP and a 33 percent strikeout rate.
In his first 14 games of the season, the 29-year-old walked 22.2 percent of the batters he faced while striking out just 19 percent. Since then? His walk rate is down to a much more reasonable 11 percent, just above the league average of 9.2 percent.
Scott is one of the top relief trade pieces on the trade deadline market this season, and with the Marlins desperate to rebuild, we have our fingers crossed that the Phillies can add him to the late-inning bullpen mix.
We hope the Brent Rooker trade rumor comes true
This is a newer rumor but a very enticing one. Oakland A's outfielder Brent Rooker is someone the Phillies are reportedly keeping a close eye on in the lead-up to the MLB trade deadline.
The 29-year-old slugs. In 83 games this year, he's slashing .291/.369/.573 with 21 home runs, 62 RBI and a 166 wRC+. He does strike out 32.6 percent of the time; that's who he is as a hitter. But when you do as much damage as he does, it's a fair trade-off.
According to Ben Clemens of FanGraphs, Rooker swings as fast as Bryce Harper and is barely behind Kyle Schwarber in home runs per plate appearance over the last two years. He doesn't change his approach much, if at all. Even in two-strike counts, he swings to do damage, and boy does he do damage.
"In two-strike counts, hitters have produced a .344 wOBACON, as compared to .370 in all other counts," Clemens explains. "Rooker has a .493 wOBACON in two-strike counts. That might even understate his production; he’s produced the fourth-best xwOBACON (.529) in two-strike counts, behind only Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Harper."
After the lack of production from the outfield, specifically center and left, plugging the right-handed-hitting Rooker out in left as a platoon with Brandon Marsh would instantly increase offense from the bottom of the lineup. He mashes left-handed pitching, hitting .258/.301/.636 against southpaws this year.
Rooker still has three arbitration years on his contract, but with the A's being out of the playoff race since, well, 2021, there's always a chance they'd sell a piece like Rooker at the deadline.
We hope the Luis Robert Jr. trade rumor doesn't come true
Luis Robert Jr. has been a lightning rod for Phillies fans during trade season, and it's understandable. On the one hand, the Chicago White Sox outfielder is immensely talented — gifted with exceptional power and speed tools. On the other hand, he's what sports folk label as injury-prone. He has only played 43 games this year after a two-month stint on the IL.
There's no denying the skills. On the season, he's slashing .236/.313/.491 with 11 home runs and 11 stolen bases. It took him a while to get going after the hip flexor injury, and in his last 16 games, the right-handed slugger is slashing .311/.382/.557 with four home runs and eight steals.
He's a former Gold Glover, Silver Slugger and All-Star but his upside is tempered by his inability to stay on the field. While he put up up 38 homers and 20 steals in 145 games in 2023, he played 68 and 98 in the previous two seasons (he did play most of the shortened 2020 as well).
It's a risky move to bring him in, even if he's under team control through 2027. It's also riskier if the Phillies have to give up a big prospect package that includes No. 2 prospect Aidan Miller. That's where the problem lies.
Recent rumors have suggested that Miller would have to be included in a deal for a big name like Robert; one MLB insider even said he's sure Miller will be traded. That's a no-go, or at least it should be for the Phillies. They want to create a dynasty, but that doesn't happen if you trade away a prospect like Miller for a player who might never play more than 100 games a season for your franchise.
If the Phillies can reel in Robert for prospects other than Miller, we could be convinced that it might be a good deal at that point.
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