3 perfect Phillies trade targets for the starting rotation, 2 to avoid

Phillies trade candidate to avoid: Jack Flaherty

A Cardinals teammate of Montgomery, Jack Flaherty is a much less attractive trade target for the Phillies. He’s younger and hasn’t allowed a run in either of his last two outings. That’s pretty much where the pros stop because prior to his recent success Flaherty was getting hammered much more regularly.

Now 6-5 with a 4.27 ERA on the season, Flaherty has already walked 48 batters and hit 8 more. He’s well on his way toward leading the league in these categories which don’t together tell the Phillies to avoid him. It’s everything else.

Despite the okay ERA at the moment, this is a pitcher with a 1.56 WHIP. He’s averaging more than a hit per inning and is at 4.7 walks per 9 this year. Flaherty isn’t even a particularly high strikeout pitcher. Batters will make contact against him and the questionable Phillies defense is going to have more chances to make errors.

Flaherty is fine if the Phillies just need a fifth starter. They should reach higher. They haven’t gotten enough out of their other starters to justify acquiring a lesser arm.

Yet another one of the pitchers who would be a rental for Philadelphia, this guy doesn’t seem like he’d put the Phillies over the top. He has been a tough luck loser in the playoffs, somehow managing to go 1-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 4 career starts in the playoffs. More than the missing rabbit’s foot in October is the average season he’s in the middle of right now and the low ceiling to get better which should have the Phillies turning elsewhere for an upgrade.