Assembling the Phillies' trade deadline wish list
With the trade deadline fast approaching, let's take a look at what should be on the Phillies' wish list.
The 2023 trade deadline is fast approaching and with that comes a sense of hope that your favorite team will jump into the pool of available players to upgrade their needs for a deep playoff run. With the exception of 2022, the Phillies went 11 years without being a major buyer in the market. Last year they made upgrades on the fringes of the roster that surely propelled them on their deep playoff run.
Were they high-profile, splashy moves? No, but adding the likes of Brandon Marsh, Edmundo Sosa, Noah Syndergaard, and David Robertson was not insignificant and shows that teams don’t necessarily have to mortgage the farm system to make upgrades and go on a run.
The 2023 version of the Phillies is right in the thick of it and will likely be making moves come the August 1st deadline. At the time of writing this, they sit 11 games back of the red-hot Braves and in the Third Wild Card spot and just 1.5 games back of the first Wild Card spot behind the Miami Marlins. The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds all vying for playoff positioning. There will undoubtably be very attractive pieces to add to the roster that will fill some holes and turn weakness into strengths.
Without further ado, let’s go through the Philadelphia Phillies 2023 Trade Deadline wish list.
1. Defensive-minded left fielder
When the Phillies signed Kyle Schwarber before the 2022 season the intention was not to have him be a full time left fielder. The NL introduced the DH for the first time and it was perfect to to keep his bat in the lineup without exposing his very questionable defensive acumen. Well Bryce Harper tore his ulnar collateral ligament in May of 2022 and hasn’t appeared in the field since, forcing Schwarber to be the left fielder. Fast forward to July and according to ESPN, Kyle Schwarber ranks dead last at of 181 qualifying left fielders in dWAR accumulating a staggering -2.2 dWAR. In recent weeks it has looked worse and worse. Balls that an average, check that, even below average left fielder would make.
The left fielder who is a capable defender and still provides a spark to the lineup should be priority one for the Phillies, especially since reports are coming out Harper has made significant progress in playing first base allowing Schwarber to be DH.
High End Target:
Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates aren’t going to let go of the 28-year old cheaply. He is under team control for another three years and is one of the young, preeminent outfielders in the game. However, he has already expressed his displeasure to the team and desire to be traded. He is an above average defender and switch hitter that would provide versatile to lineup and a significant upgrade to the outfield defense. His slash line of .271/.343./.802 would fit in nicely. It would take a promising prospect or two to secure him but the Phillies should strongly consider it.
Alternative:
Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs
Bellinger has had a few down years at the plate since his 2019 MVP year but his glove has always stayed consistent. He currently man’s center field for the Cubs but if the Cubs fall further out of contention they may look to cash in on Bellinger’s comeback season. He is currently hitting .276 with a .786 OPS. He is owed $12 million for 2023 has a mutual option for 2024 so the price won’t be as high as someone like Reynolds.
2. Starting Pitcher
There’s a saying in baseball that you can never have enough good pitching. Well, I would venture to say that every team vying for a playoff spot is looking to make an upgrade to their pitching staff. The 5th starter around the league has been well below average with many teams throwing out “bullpen games” every 5th day or relying on a less than optimal starter. The same can be said for the Phillies. While they do have a number of prospects that are waiting in the wings, they just aren’t quite ready to make the Jim to the Show. The Phillies have trotted out Matt Strahm, Dylan Covey, Bailey Falter and, Christopher Sanchez in that fifth spot. An upgrade would definitely be nice. Then, of course, a top end starter is always desirable as well. Looking for a game changing arm that can start a playoff game is highly sought after at the deadline and can swing a playoff race. The Phillies have Wheeler and Nola at the top with Suarez and Walker right behind them but I don’t think Dombrowski would blink twice if he were able to add another top arm and a cost that doesn’t sell the farm.
High End Target:
Stroman is having a terrific season so far. You could say he’s having a bounce back year posting an ERA of 2.96 in the first half of the season. He will likely be highly sought after if the Cubs decide to sell this summer so the competition will be vast making any time that wins the sweepstakes give up top prospects. He is owed $25m for 2023 and has a $21m play-option for 2024. If the Phillies make a trade for a top end starter that they give up too prospects, it will have to be someone they envision starting at least game three of a playoff series and Stroman is that guy.
Alternative:
The White Sox came into the 2023 campaign with high expectations. They seemed to have the offense and the pitching to take them far. However, for one reason or another, they have not come close to meeting those expectations. At the time of this writing, the White Sox sit 11.5 games back from a Wild Card spot. Of anyone on the team, Giolito has definitely performed. Though his era is somewhat inflated, he currently sits at 3.50, he has held to his reputation of the strikeout pitcher, totaling 112 Ks through 18 starts. Would he start over Ranger Suarez in a playoff series? Probably not, but he will cost significantly less in trade capital and would be seen as an upgrade to the 5throtation spot.
3. First Base Power Bat
When Rhys Hoskins went down with a torn ACL everyone knew there would be a big hole at first base. Not only has Hoskins held that position down and help guide the team to the World Series, but he was a power hitting right handed bat which this team has been missing. The rumors are that Bryce Harper is close to playing first base and that would alleviate some lineup trouble and get Schwarber into DH but trusting Harper to play a serviceable first base is a lot to ask of the Phillies leader. A power hitting first baseman who is a plus defender could push this team even higher and even more dangerous in September/October.
High End Target:
Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
We’ve all heard the rumors and read the “best fit” projections. There’s no doubt that adding the reigning 2022 MVP to this lineup would be a major plus. Having a “down” year, Goldschmidt is slashing .284/.370/.851 with 15 homeruns. His defense at first is considered “plus” and he hits from the right side. The lineup would look downright scary with him in the 3-4 spot. The downside here is Goldschmidt will undoubtably cost a fortune in prospects.
Alternative:
C.J. Cron, Colorado Rockies
When Hoskins went down, Cron’s name was one of the first to surface. He is a power hitting right handed first basement. He doesn’t offer much in terms of defense but in comparison to Harper who has never played at first, he would be a plus. He is currently hitting just .249 with an OPS of .734 with 7 homers but as the summer months come along that homerun total should increase. The reality is, Cron is likely not much of an upgrade to this lineup the way Bohm has handled first base duties.
The Phillies will almost certainly look to upgrade the roster in some capacity. It’ll be up to Dave Dombrowski and Co. to determine how significant the upgrade is weighed against the prospects that it will take to acquire them. The rumors will be flying around with the trade deadline less than a month away.