3 Phillies who aren’t as safe as they think with the trade deadline approaching
Which Phillies should be looking over their shoulder as the MLB trade deadline looms?
With the MLB trade deadline fast approaching on July 30, the Philadelphia Phillies front office is tasked with taking a big-picture look at what upgrades are necessary on the current 26-man roster and, with the clock ticking, identifying holes that need fixing ahead of another playoff push.
While the Phillies currently have the best record in MLB at 64-38, and hold a healthy 9.0 game lead in the NL East over the rival Atlanta Braves, a wave of injuries to key superstars over the last few months and some noticeable regression in performance from players like José Alvarado, Ranger Suárez, Orion Kerkering and Brandon Marsh have taken away some of the shine from a team that was once winning baseball games at a historic pace.
Before we get too fatalistic about the recent flat play that has befallen the Phillies, it should be noted that the team's odds of making the postseason are currently at 100 percent. This isn't a team that has an overwhelming number of issues to fix, but some clear needs have presented themselves with only a handful of days left before the trade deadline passes.
The Phillies are far from alone in the pursuit of trade deadline upgrades. Almost every contender has an injury to account for or a key spot on the roster that would benefit from an influx of talent in areas on the field where current options aren't getting it done.
3 Phillies who aren’t as safe as they think with the trade deadline approaching
The Phillies have some obvious needs and are one of those teams currently mentioned as being in the market for a number of All-Star caliber names and lesser role players. Who will be wearing a Phillies uniform next week is anyone's guess right now, but what current Phillies players stand to lose playing time or a roster spot if the team makes a deadline move in the next couple of days?
Let's take a look at three Phillies players who might find themselves out of a job or a role at this time next week.
Cristian Pache
When the Phillies swung a last-minute trade with the Oakland Athletics for Cristian Pache during the final days of spring training in 2023, the Phillies knew they were buying low on a player who was only a couple of seasons removed from being considered a top 10 prospect in MLB. Now, with a large enough sample size of under-performance in a Phillies uniform, it might be the time for the Phillies themselves to cut bait with Pache in the next couple of days.
While Pache struggled to stay healthy in his first season in Philadelphia, the youth and former prospect status were enough to keep him around as an insurance policy in case rookie Johan Rojas continued to struggle against MLB pitching. Rojas has had his share of troubles at the plate this season, and Pache has done little to give the team much of an upgrade when called upon, batting .202 with 21 hits, zero home runs, and nine RBI in 104 at-bats this season.
With the Phillies reported to be in the market for nearly every right-handed hitting outfielder rumored to be on the trade market, Pache would seem to be to most obvious piece to DFA if a roster spot is needed in the next couple of days.
Taijuan Walker
Dave Dombrowski has done a phenomenal job signing free agents during his time as president of baseball operations for the Philadelphia Phillies. Recently released super-utilityman Whit Merrifield is one of the latest examples of a player who didn't work out. But the most glaring mistake of Dombrowski's tenure has to be the $72 million, four-year deal signed by right-hander Taijuan Walker last season.
Walker wasn't a complete disappointment during his first season in Philadelphia in 2023, putting together a 15-6 record with a 4.38 ERA, striking out 138 and leading the team in wins. But while those numbers may look good on the surface, Walker's starts were typically short affairs. When the postseason rolled around, manager Rob Thomson opted to skip Walker completely despite being on the roster. It was telling how much Thomson had lost faith in Walker as the workload on the relief corps in the NLCS pushed towards the level of excessive.
This year has been a total disaster for Walker. Following multiple injuries, ineffectiveness and a noticeable drop in velocity, Walker has been on the IL since June 23. With rookie Tyler Phillips now 2-0 and filling in capably as the fifth starter, a possible replacement could already be on the roster.
With the Phillies reported to also be sniffing around the market for starting pitching, Walker could find himself relegated to a long relief role if he fails to impress when he's eventually activated from the IL at some point in August.
Johan Rojas
Johan Rojas' future with the Phillies has been one of the most scrutinized topics since he made his debut last season. The talented center fielder has the tendency to make jaw-dropping plays that make national highlight reels and then perform so poorly at the plate that it's easy to wonder if he'll ever hit enough to be a full-time major league player.
That's one thing Rojas and fellow outfielder Brandon Marsh both have in common. The circumstances are different, but with Marsh's inability to hit against left-handed pitching, the lineup becomes noticeably weaker when light-hitting Rojas and fourth outfielder Cristian Pache have been penciled in together. Rojas was also recently sent down to Triple-A when Trea Turner returned from the IL.
The Phillies have tried a number of different players in this role all season, starting with Whit Merrifield, then David Dahl, and now Weston Wilson. Considering all of this tinkering, and Rojas' name being mentioned as a possible trade piece (subscription required) by The Athletic's Jim Bowden in a deal for Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena, it looks like Johan Rojas could lose his role as an everyday player, or possibly be part of a package in a deal along with other young players at the trade deadline.
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