The Philadelphia Phillies are once again in a situation where they need to address multiple problems on the roster. The problems are not anything new, and in fact are the same that have hurt them for years. A right-handed outfielder and proper setup man in the bullpen are still things that need to be addressed. Here are three players that the Phillies should target at the trade deadline.
The New York Mets will be in full sell mode for the MLB trade deadline. They have a ton of assets, mostly from the pitching staff, that they likely will ship off. Brooks Raley is the best option from their bullpen for the Phillies to target. The lefty would give them a perfect setup man for Jhoan Duran. He has a 2.04 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 39 appearances.
Taylor Ward has been rumored to be traded to Philadelphia every year at the trade deadline. The problem with that is the fact that the Phillies have still not addressed the need for a right-handed outfield bat. Ward would give them just that; he’s hitting .255 on the season. He is having a down season power-wise, however, with just six homers. He hit a career high of 36 home runs last season.
The Phillies signed JT Realmuto to a three-year deal this offseason, but that has quickly gone wrong. The 35-year-old catcher is hitting just .206 with a .634 OPS. Hunter Goodman would fix a serious issue with the lineup, adding a proper cleanup hitter behind Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. He has hit 27 home runs this season for the Colorado Rockies, earning an All-Star selection for the second straight year.
The Phillies need to be aggressive at the trade deadline this time around. They don’t always make a big splash, and they don’t need to this season. Trading for that second level of players like Ward or Raley is the type of move that World Series hopeful teams make. All three of these players would improve Philadelphia’s championship odds.
Check out our breakdown of the three most valuable prospects the Phillies have to offer at the trade deadline.
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