The Philadelphia Phillies need a lot of help if they want to fix their broken offense. At this point in the season, making a deadline trade is their only avenue to bring in help, greatly limiting the amount of possible reinforcements. Superstars like Mike Trout and Byron Buxton are unlikely to be traded and the next echelon of hitters, while still useful, aren’t quite as inspiring. Let’s dive into some of the Phillies’ realistic trade options and break down their pros and cons.
Taylor Ward
Pros: Right-handed, On-base percentage
Cons: Suspicious power outage
Longtime Los Angeles Angel Taylor Ward was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles this past offseason, and things have not gone well at all for the O’s. At 51-55, they’re shaping up to be deadline sellers, and Ward may be the best outfield bat on the market. The 32-year-old crushed 113 homers in just over 700 games with the Halos, but has hit just seven in 477 plate appearances in Baltimore this year. Still, his fantastic .386 on-base percentage gives him a very high floor, and his eagle eye would be a Godsend to a free-swinging Phillies lineup.
Daulton Varsho
Pros: Elite defense
Cons: Left-handed, Down year
Centerfielder Daulton Varsho has more Phillies connections than most people would think, seeing as his father, Gary, played for the Phils back in 1995 and Daulton is named after Wall of Famer Darren Daulton. The 30-year-old is slated to reach free agency at the end of this season, and the disappointing Toronto Blue Jays have no reason not to make him available. His left-handed bat isn’t a perfect fit for a Phillies club desperate for righties, and with just a .692 OPS isn’t having a great season, but his Gold Glove-caliber defense would be a huge boon to a statuesque Phillies outfield.
George Springer
Pros: Right-handed, Career track record
Cons: Terrible season, Age, Designated Hitter
Speaking of Blue Jays outfielders who are in the midst of subpar campaigns, 36-year-old George Springer has put up a middling .708 OPS between injuries this year. Springer has played all but one of his 74 games as the designated hitter this season, and is in the final year of a six-year, $150 million contract. It’s not a clean fit, but if the Phillies want to force things they could take a chance on Springer getting closer to his career .825 OPS down the stretch,
Lane Thomas
Pros: Right-handed, On-base percentage
Cons: Middling power, Ineffective against same-handed pitching
If the Blue Jays are bad, the Kansas City Royals are downright terrible with a 45-62 record on the year. 30-year-old Lane Thomas may be one of the more desirable right-handed bats on the trade market, seeing as he’s capable of handling all three outfield positions and draws plenty of walks. The Tennessee native is headed for free agency, and would provide the Phils a nice boost against southpaws. He doesn’t do much against right-handed pitchers, and won’t hit for much power, but Thomas would be an excellent platoon partner for Justin Crawford or Gabriel Rincones Jr.
Gleyber Torres
Pros: Right-handed, Excellent season, On-base percentage
Cons: Positional fit, Injuries
Second baseman Gleyber Torres is in his second season with the Detroit Tigers after spending seven with the New York Yankees, and has continued raking in his new environment. The 29-year-old has been limited to just 48 games this season by an oblique injury, but has posted a rock solid .754 OPS over the past two seasons and has a spectacular .398 on-base percentage this year. Trading for Torres would throw a wrench into the current Bryson Stott/Trea Turner middle infield duo, but adding a bat of his caliber would be well worth it.
Jorge Soler
Pros: Right-handed, Light tower power
Cons: Poor season, Designated hitter
Hulking slugger Jorge Soler is in the twilight of a very productive big league career, and is currently rotting away on a dreadful 42-64 Angels squad. The 34-year-old hasn’t done much more than pop the occasional longball in his two seasons in Anaheim, and shouldn’t be trusted with anything more than occasional outfield duties, but the Phillies could do worse than adding a powerful righty bat to their bench mix.
The Phillies’ broken offense can't be fixed entirely, but it can be improved
Isaac Paredes
Pros: Right-handed, Fantastic Year, Team Control
Cons: Asking Price
At 52-55 and just 2.0 games back of a Wild Card spot, the Houston Astros are far from a lock to sell at the deadline. However, if they decide to make third baseman Isaac Paredes available, he would become perhaps the best hitter on the trade block and would command a king’s ransom. The Alec Bohm experience has run its course in Philadelphia, and ponying up for Paredes would provide an answer at the hot corner not just for this year, but next year as well.
Trading for Paredes would pretty much preclude the prospect-poor Phils from making any other notable moves, but his .791 OPS would look mighty fine displacing Bohm in the cleanup spot.
Bo Bichette
Pros: Right-handed, Career track record
Cons: Massive salary, Player opt-outs, Fan backlash
After swinging and missing on superstar Bo Bichette this offseason, could Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski rectify that injustice this summer? The division-rival New York Mets are dead in the water and would certainly love to get rid of the rest of Bichette’s exorbitant three-year, $126 million contract. One complicating factor would be the opt-outs Bichette has for each of the next two seasons, giving him all of the leverage in deciding to stay or go. Phillies fans may not like him, but the longtime Blue Jay is righting the ship after a brutal start to the year, and would give the Phillies a contact-first bat to slot in all over the infield.
Luis Robert Jr.
Pros: Right-handed, Elite centerfielder, Team option
Cons: Third straight poor season, Terrible plate discipline
Speaking of overpaid players the Mets would be happy to jettison, this past winter’s trade acquisition Luis Robert Jr. is being paid $20 million for just 29 games of .673 OPS hitting this season. Robert hasn’t been an effective player since his tremendous 2023 campaign, and would be no more than an upside play for the Phillies. Still, rookie Justin Crawford has bottomed out in his first crack at the big leagues, and Robert would at least provide an elite glove in center who could theoretically turn things around. If Robert somehow finds it in Philadelphia, the Phillies could retain him via a $20 million team option for 2027.
Lars Nootbaar
Pros: On-base percentage, Team Control
Cons: Left-handed, Injury history, Asking price
The St. Louis Cardinals are in an interesting spot, as they’re just 1.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, but seem to be ahead of schedule in their rebuild. It’s entirely possible that they’re willing to listen to offers on talented outfielder Lars Nootbaar to improve their future. The Cards have no reason to move Nootbaar for less than a high asking price, and his lengthy injury history (which has limited him to just 40 games this season) and left-handed bat don’t quite make him an ideal fit for the Phillies. Still, the 28-year-old walks a ton and is under team control through next season, and would be a marked improvement over the Phils’ current outfield dreck.
Eugenio Suárez
Pros: Career track record, Massive power
Cons: Swing and miss, Poor season, Defensive limitations
34-year-old Eugenio Suárez may not have too much left to give in his 13th major league season, evidenced by an ugly .690 OPS on the year. His tragic defense has led him to mostly slotting in at designated hitter, and he’s punched out 106 times in 295 plate appearances thus far. The two-time All-Star has blasted 14 dingers, has 339 for his career, and would give the Phils a much-needed righty power bat in the heart of their order.
Ty France
Pros: Right-handed, Fantastic year, Solid Power
Cons: First base, On-base percentage
Journeyman first baseman Ty France has been the best hitter on a foundering San Diego Padres team that may be forced to sell at this year’s deadline. The 32-year-old is headed towards free agency and has a spectacular .885 OPS over 79 games thus far with 16 homers. The Phillies don’t need a first sacker with future Hall of Famer Bryce Harper firmly entrenched, but France has 55 and 56 career appearances at second and third base, respectively, and it may be worth it to force a square peg into a round hole in order to add his bat to the lineup.
Luis Arraez
Pros: Hitting machine, Improved defense
Cons: Positional fit, Middling on-base percentage, Zero power
Three-time batting champion Luis Arraez bet on himself by signing a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants this past offseason, and he’s earned himself a lot of money by posting a fantastic .326 batting average this year and displaying markedly improved defense at the keystone. The Giants are going nowhere at 44-61 and should look to get whatever they can for the impending free agent. A second baseman who doesn’t walk much and has little power isn’t exactly what the Phillies need, but considering the fact that they have very few guys who can hit for average, and Trea Turner has been terrible in the leadoff spot, adding Arraez would give them a nice high-floor hitter.
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