3 pitchers who could be traded if the Phillies fall out of playoff contention
At 38-34, the Philadelphia Phillies are not necessarily sitting pretty in the NL East, but all hope is not lost - yet.
Entering the day, the club is riding a six-game winning streak and is 8-2 in their last 10 games. At 8.0 GB of the first-place Braves, a division title may not be a feasible option, but an NL Wild Card spot could be.
However, this is baseball, and we all know how things can change oh so quickly for our favorite teams. The reality is that the Phillies are one extended cold streak away from perhaps being viewed as trade deadline sellers. With the amount of firepower this team has both in its starting lineup and its pitching staff, such a thought would've been insane at the start of the year, yet here we are.
For a team like this Phillies squad to become sellers, there would be a serious focus on moving players on expiring contracts. After all, so many pieces on this active roster are controlled long-term, so you're not going to see any Bryce Harpers, JT Realmutos, Taijuan Walkers, or Kyle Schwarbers moved.
Instead, there are a handful of players on shorter-term contracts that could conceivably be moved if the Phillies are unable to make up any ground in this extremely tough NL East division.
Let's check out 3 Phillies players who could be traded if the team falls out of contention.
3 Phillies who could be traded. No. 1 - RHP Craig Kimbrel
At 35-years-old, it's a wonder that Craig Kimbrel is even still an active major leaguer. After beginning his career as one of the most dominant relief pitchers the game had ever seen, he experienced one heck of a regression in 2019, 2020 and the second half of 2021. Things seemed to be trending in the wrong direction for a player once "guaranteed" to make it to the Hall of Fame one day.
After experiencing a resurgence for the Dodgers last year, Kimbrel turned that into a one-year, $10M contract with the Phillies, one that has been paying off nicely so far.
So far in 2023, Kimbrel has made 30 appearances for Philadelphia, notching 10 saves with an ERA of 4.50, a FIP of 3.95 and an ERA+ of 97. While none of these numbers necessarily jump off of the page, he is certainly doing enough to warrant a "possible sneaky trade chip" label.
With the seemingly endless list of teams that could be in the market for a high-leverage reliever at this year's trade deadline, it's easy to see how someone with Kimbrel's reputation could be a sought after target. Granted, he's not going to net a top prospect from any organization, but his name carries value and his performance on the field this year has been most encouraging.
Having someone like Kimbrel at the back end of the Phillies' bullpen will be a huge help for them, especially if he continues to strike out batters at a 14.1 K/9 rate. However, him and his expiring contract will likely be one of the first to go if the team can't make their way into contention.
3 Phillies who could be traded. No. 2 - LHP Matt Strahm
Matt Strahm has quietly made himself into a solid pitcher who has the flexibility to function in a variety of different roles. As a matter of fact, the southpaw has served as a middle reliever, long reliever, starter and even closer all in the current campaign.
Strahm, 31, was able to turn a strong 2022 showing into a multi-year contract with the Phillies and the aforementioned versatility has been a huge part of his game. After serving as strictly a relief pitcher in each year from 2020-2022, he expressed a desire to return to the starting rotation. While the Phillies were initially willing to grant him this wish, he made just nine starts before being shuffled back to the bullpen.
It's important to note that Strahm was only squeezed out because of the amount of higher-caliber starters around him, not because he didn't perform. In those nine outings, he had a combined 4.18 ERA with 41 strikeouts and just nine walks in 32.1 innings of work. Since moving back to the bullpen, he has a 4.11 ERA with 19 strikeouts and four walks in 15.1 innings.
What could make Strahm more attractive to teams eyeing bullpen help than Craig Kimbrel is the fact that he's four years younger than Kimbrel is and is under control for an additional season. He would likely command a larger trade package since he is not set to become a free agent until the conclusion of next season, while Kimbrel is a free agent at the end of the current campaign.
3 Phillies who could be traded. No. 3 - RHP Craig Kimbrel RHP Aaron Nola
Ask anyone a year or so ago and there's no chance Aaron Nola would ever find his name in trade rumors. The right-hander has had "Philly for life" written across his chest for years now, but suddenly the tables may be turning for him and his career on the club.
The nine-year veteran made his way into the rumor mill early this year, as ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote a piece (subscription required) calling out the Phillies as the team to watch ahead of the deadline, because they are right in the middle of the "buy or sell" conversation.
Passan specifically notes that Nola could become available if the Phillies fail to make any serious ground in the NL East.
To kick off his 2023 season, Nola has made 15 starts and hasn't quite been able to replicate some of the numbers he's posted in year's past. The 30-year-old is 6-5 with a 4.66 ERA, 4.16 FIP and 93 ERA+. Not bad, but not ace-level like he was as recently as last year.
There's no doubt that the right-hander will command a significant haul at the deadline if he's moved, even if he hasn't been one of the top starters in the league like he has been previously. He doesn't walk batters, he keeps the bases fairly clean, doesn't surrender many home runs and remains a high-strikeout arm.
Moving the 2018 All-Star may not be the most popular move amongst the Phillies and their fans, but if the club is truly looking to rebuild or retool, it's best to start at the top when it comes to their tradeable assets, especially since he is an upcoming free agent.