5 Phillies trade targets from teams quickly falling out of contention
The Philadelphia Phillies have the World Series on their mind. They don’t want to attend again. They want to win it all this time.
The front office brilliantly navigated through last year’s trade deadline and added several key pieces to the roster. Two of their best moves brought them controllable assets Brandon Marsh and Edmundo Sosa. Their continued presence on the 2023 roster is paying off even more so.
While we can dream big about other players with years of control left, it might not be quite as reasonable as players closer to free agency. The Phillies need pitching and even a bit more balance at the plate and in the field. With several teams already falling behind, these five trade targets would be some of the best for Philadelphia to acquire.
1) Phillies trade target: Alex Cobb from the Giants
Mötley Crüe sang about “Girls, Girls, Girls” and Phillies fans should be singing for “Arms, Arms, Arms.” You don’t need to have read in the Soho Tribune that a lack of starting pitching was one of the biggest causes for why they didn’t raise a World Series banner recently.
This is where Alex Cobb can come into the picture. The Phillies got a close-up look at the San Francisco Giants starter this week. Considering where the Giants are in the standings and the impending slip further down the standings, Cobb and any of the other potentially available starting pitchers on this roster should be big targets for Philadelphia.
Cobb has a team option for next year that would make sense to pick up as long as he performs well. Now in his 12th big league season, Cobb is a pitcher past his prime yet maybe good enough for what the Phillies need to improve their starting rotation. Health would be the big question with him. Prior to his 149.2 innings last year with the Giants, we have to go back to 2018 for his most recent 100+ inning campaign.
Teammates Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood should also remain on the radar for the Phillies. Take your pick. As poorly as Cobb pitched against the Phillies on Tuesday, he'd be a massive upgrade over Bailey Falter. He does still lead the league in ERA. The Giants haven't quite faded in the playoff race, but to believe they'll be any better than about .500 is too optimistic.
2) Phillies trade target: Joe Kelly from the White Sox
The Chicago White Sox have put together a pitiful start to the season. They definitely have a few names of intrigue for the Phillies to start scouting already. Starting pitcher Lucas Giolito is one of them as is Liam Hendriks who is working his way back after knocking the snot out of cancer.
In looking for something different, let’s consider veteran reliever Joe Kelly. Another guy with a team option for next season, he’s the kind of high-leverage reliever this ball club should be looking at. Craig Kimbrel hasn’t been great and Seranthony Dominguez has disappointed us. Trading for a righty like Kelly should be under consideration.
Kelly has bounced around the league in his 12 seasons and is hoping to have a much better year with the White Sox in 2023. He’s coming off of a 6.08 ERA campaign in 2022. A season prior, out of the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen, Kelly was far more effective. He pitched to a 2.86 ERA in 44 innings of work for them.
Kelly should be attainable for the Phillies without having to give up a whole lot. His $9 million salary is higher than we’d like. Can John Middleton put a price on a championship?
We’ll need to see a few more successful frames from Kelly before being completely sold on him becoming an answer for the Phillies out of the bullpen. As a rental with the potential to stay in 2024, he belongs in the “keep an eye on” pile.
3) Phillies trade target: Randal Grichuk from the Rockies
If the Phillies don’t add any offense at this year’s trade deadline they may be perfectly fine. A major injury could always change this. But they don’t need to go out and start trading for a first baseman or make too many other drastic moves. Alec Bohm and maybe even Bryce Harper can handle first base. If the Phillies are going to add a bat, make it a position player that can upgrade them defensively somewhere.
That’s where impending free agent Randal Grichuk jumps into the picture. A member of the Colorado Rockies, he’s one of many chips they’ll be shopping this summer. He’s off to an incredible start since debuting after an IL stint. As a corner outfield option for the Phillies, he’d allow more time for Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber to DH.
Grichuk isn’t a perfect player and would fit a team at the trade deadline best as a possible platoon partner. He has hit well against lefties in the past. As much as a bat isn’t such a great need for this ball club, he’s a more than reasonable player to trade for.
First baseman C.J. Cron is probably the other best trade target on the Rockies. However, his defensive limitations make him far less intriguing.
4) Phillies trade target: Eduardo Rodriguez from the Tigers
Who would’ve thought the Detroit Tigers would have something interesting to offer? They’ve been in perpetual seller mode. This year, starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has stepped up and actually looks really good.
Rodriguez’s availability is definitely a question. The Tigers signed him prior to the 2022 season and he has three more years of control left. Dumping him now pushes their attempt to compete again further down the line. Do they try to capitalize on his early success and trade him or hope he continues to succeed and add around him?
The trickiest part with Rodriguez is that his contract includes a player option for next season. Dealing for him this summer could turn him into a rental if he chooses to opt out of the contract. The Phillies would be enticed into possibly working out a new deal with him to ensure he stays. Otherwise they could get caught overpaying for a guy who bounces after two months.
Rodriguez would be a huge “buy” for the Phillies and set them up well for the future if Aaron Nola does end up leaving in free agency. They should look at some longer-term assets to protect themselves. Rodriguez could be one of those players. First, they’ll need to convince the Tigers it’s time to give up on him already.
5) Phillies trade target: Jordan Montgomery
The St. Louis Cardinals haven’t heard the bell, however, a less than satisfactory start to the season does have them looking like potential trade deadline sellers instead of buyers. One of their more intriguing pieces is Jordan Montgomery. They acquired him last year from the New York Yankees at the deadline in a one-for-one swap for Harrison Bader.
Montgomery was excellent for them down the stretch while completing his best season in the majors. Headed toward free agency this offseason barring an extension with the Cardinals first, he’s a guy the Phillies should desperately like to add to their rotation.
Prying Montgomery away from the Cardinals will take more messiness out of St. Louis this year. They’re the ball club everyone should be preparing to reap if they’re unable to pull things together. Even a player like Tyler O’Neill packaged with Montgomery could help give the Phillies a better chance leading up to the postseason and in the playoffs.
In terms of cost, we shouldn’t expect the Cardinals to do the Phillies any favors. Any sort of a sale they do endure this summer will be minor. They’ll want to be right back in the playoff picture again next season.
At least one starter and a bullpen piece is what the Phillies need to start considering already. The further out of contention these teams fall, the better their chances of being able to make a phone call in a couple of months.
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