5 Phillies players that should've been traded at the deadline

It's generally perceived the Phillies had a good, if not great, trade deadline this year, bringing in Michael Lorenzen and Rodolfo Castro. Along these lines, CBS Sports awarded them a B grade.

The question is, even as buyers, was there anyone who remained in Philadelphia that should have been moved? We consider five players who arguably should have been traded, including one which admittedly would have required a lot of convincing for the majority.

NB - All statistics up to and including August 9.

Darick Hall

In Darick Hall, the Phillies have one of their more frustrating players. He has ability, but is either set to break out, or end up as one of those classic underachievers unable to take advantage of his opportunity.

It probably should be pointed out Hall's talent is -- for lack of a better description -- compartmentalized. More specifically, what he mostly offers is power and being limited to only playing first base on defense.

Like most prospects at the time, the 28-year-old's path to the Majors was impacted by Covid-19. This resulted in him not playing at all in 2020, due to the cancellation of the Minor League season.

Despite this setback, Hall finally got to prove himself at the Major League level last year and impressed. Used mostly as a DH, he hit nine homers and 16 RBI, contributing towards a .250/.282/.522 slash line and .804 OPS.

Unfortunately for the left-handed bat he's taken a step back in 2023, although in fairness it hasn't all been his fault. Shortly after making the opening day roster, he suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb.

The injury required surgery, resulting in Hall missing three months of the Major League season. Since his return, he's been unable to replicate his success from last season.

The Hereford, Arizona native has played 18 times this year for the Phillies. He has just one home run, three RBI, a .167/.196/.241/ slash line and .437 OPS.

It should be noted Hall has still performed well in Triple-A, where he was recently returned to, due to his lack of success in the Majors. In 36 games he has five homers, 22 RBI, a .294/.381/.463 slash line and .845 OPS.

Again, the 2016 14th round draft pick has talent, but will this ever translate to consistent success in the Majors? We're at a point where a change of scenery is probably best, to help his chances of fulfilling his potential.

Ranger Suárez

It's been a challenging year for Ranger Suárez, which started with injury issues. Due to a combination of tightness and then inflammation in his left forearm, his regular season didn't begin until mid-May.

No one denies Suárez has talent, with him being particularly lethal versus left-handed batters. However, there have long been questions about his ability to be more consistent.

Along these lines, the 27-year-old is on course to have his least-productive year since becoming a regular starter in 2021. This is particularly highlighted by a 1.430 WHIP, to go along with a 4.01 ERA.

In respect of the ERA, it might not sound too bad, but Suárez has only had one good month, with a 1.08 ERA in five starts during June. This is sandwiched between two poor ERAs, with 7.13 in four outings during May and 6.11 in five appearances during July.

It's not all been bad for the Venezuela native, who previously had issues with his location. This is best exemplified by his walks-per-nine-innings of 2.8 in 2021, 3.4 last year and 3.2 so far in 2023.

Further, we are also still talking about the same pitcher who was lights out in Game 3 of last year's World Series. Suárez showed his stuff during 5.2 innings against the Astros, allowing just four hits, one walk and no runs, while striking out five.

We're not claiming it would have been an easy choice to part company with the southpaw. However, with his aforementioned talent, there arguably would have been just enough to entice a team to offer a return package worth accepting.

The case would have been helped even further, when considering Suárez's contract situation. With two more years of arbitration eligibility before becoming a unrestricted free agent in 2026, this would have provided decent club control for someone.

Jake Cave

Claimed off waivers from the Orioles at the end of last year, Jake Cave made an excellent early impression with the Phillies. He was outstanding during spring training, highlighted by a .462/.500/.827 slash line and 1.327 OPS.

As a result, Cave subsequently made the opening day roster. Unfortunately for him -- and the team -- this has been of the few high points of his Major League season.

The 30-year-old enjoyed a lot of success earlier in his career, specifically his first two years with the Twins. Since then however he's regressed, fully on display this season in Philadelphia.

Of particular note, Cave has just two home runs and 13 RBI in 33 games, and is on course for a single season career-low OPS, currently projected to be .559. This brings to mind scouting reports which previously cited his lack of power.

The question is, does the left-handed bat have it in himself to return to the production earlier in his career? If nothing else at least you know he'll put in the effort, with him being renowned for his work ethic and scrappiness.

For what it's worth, Cave's production in Triple-A this year would have been a good selling point for any potential trade. In fact, he's having his best season yet at this level.

The 2011 sixth round draft pick is projected to set new single-season highs, with a .684 slugging percentage and 1.113 OPS. He's already set a new personal best with 16 home runs, while his 49 RBI are just eight short of his current high.

Another selling point would have been the offer of club control. Cave has two more years of arbitration eligibility to go, before becoming a unrestricted free agent in 2026.

Simón Muzziotti

In terms of prospects, Simón Muzziotti was one of two we previously considered most likely to be dealt at the trade deadline. The Athletic took it a step further (subscription required), saying he was the Phillies player most likely to be moved full stop.

When it comes to Muzziotti, he was a good trade option for an organization wanting to hold onto their top-rated prospects. At the same time, he still offered enough value to entice another front office into potentially giving up a decent return haul.

In this respect, the 24-year-old is currently ranked ninth in the Phillies' farm system. He was ranked 10th prior to the trade deadline.

Muzziotti has endured an arduous path to the Majors, dealing with more challenges than the average prospect. This includes missing nearly a full year due to visa issues, which kept him in Venezuela.

In addition, the outfielder's development was compromised by a partially torn right patellar tendon, which caused him to miss a majority of 2022. This was made tougher by the fact it came after finally making his Major League debut.

Muzziotti's number one asset is his speed, something which is always appealing to ballclubs. This particularly helps him on defense, significantly complimenting his decent arm strength.

Offensively, the left-handed bat has pretty much proven himself at the Triple-A level despite his lack of power. While his production have dipped slightly of late, overall he has four homers, 46 RBI, a .321/.381/.432 slash line and .812 OPS.

With all this said, you can be forgiven for asking why Muzziotti should have been traded? In this respect it comes down to opportunities, or lack thereof.

Pure and simple, the Phillies' outfield is already stacked with options. With the likes of Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Nick Castellanos Cristian Pache and Johan Rojas in the way, Muzziotti would likely get more chances to play elsewhere.