Jonathan Jansen
Expectations for the 2019 Philadelphia Phillies are high after making blockbuster moves in the offseason. Those moves now have the Phillies fighting for National League East crown. For the Phils to make a postseason run, they will need to make more moves this summer to help bolster a depleted bullpen and thin starting rotation.
This list will be composed of trade targets that may be available from the National League. If there have been rumors about a player being available or a trade makes sense for the Phillies, that player will be included on this list. If we miss any players let us know in the comments or on our social media pages!
San Francisco Giants
- Madison Bumgarner, Starting Pitcher, LHP
- Jon: The Phillies have been linked to Bumgarner since the season began. It makes sense when you realize that the Phillies haven’t had a quality left-handed starting pitcher since Cole Hamels. The issue is cost.
- Kevin Pillar, Outfielder
- Jon: One of the many cheap outfielder options that are available for the Phillies. Jay Bruce was brought in to help the Phillies outfield in the absence of Andrew McCutchen and eventual suspension (possible release) of Odubel Herrera, but the Phillies need just a bit more. Roman Quinn cannot continue to see the field as often as he has and will need to be replaced. Pillar however may not be the right fit. We’ve seen Gabe Kapler before get on players for an undisciplined approach at the plate and Pillar’s .267 OBP is not a great fit for a Kapler lineup.
- Will Smith/Sam Dyson/Tony Watson, Relief Pitchers
- Greg: The Phillies need bullpen help in the worst way and the Giants are currently stacked. They do not necessarily need to land one of the top closers on the market in Smith, but dependable backend pieces like Dyson and Watson will help solidify the relief corps without breaking the bank.
Cincinnati Reds
- Tanner Roark, Starting Pitcher, RHP
- Anthony: A fifth starter is a necessity for this Phillies team and Tanner Roark has quickly become one of my favorite targets. He’s a pure innings-eater who has shown durability throughout his career. Since the 2016 season he has thrown 212, 181.1 and 180.1 innings in a season. He’s only under contract this season so the cost to acquire him wouldn’t be too steep. Adding Roark could really round out the starting rotation in a similar fashion to Joe Blanton in 2008.
- Sonny Gray, Starting Pitcher, RHP
- Anthony: I think the Reds will be much less likely to move Gray than Roark at this point in time. Gray cost the Reds a prospect and a first round pick this past winter before signing him through the 2023 season. While he has a higher ceiling than Roark, Roark has the higher floor. Gray never got going in New York and hasn’t really come close to replicating his 2015 all-star campaign. It’s easy to fall in love with Gray’s upside, trust me I held on to him in my fantasy baseball league, but I’m not sure what he would cost and if it’d be worth it for the Phillies. It doesn’t hurt to ask, though.
Arizona Diamondbacks
- Zack Greinke, Starting Pitcher, RHP
- Greg: Greinke comes with a huge price tag and is 35 years old. The DBacks would have to eat a lot of his remaining salary to get a good prospect package in return. The fact is that Greinke is still pitching like a top of the rotation starter and would immediately slot behind Aaron Nola as the team’s No. 2 starter, perhaps even their ace. The strikeouts are down, but he continues to just get people out.
- Adam Jones, Outfielder
- Jon: What a surprise Adam Jones has been for the Diamondbacks this season. Signing a one-year deal just before the start of the season, Jones immediately made an impact in the Dbacks starting lineup. With 13 home runs and .789 OPS, Jones not only will take the place of Quinn, but will be an upgrade from Herrera. How high will the cost be? Well considering Jones was just casually brought in by Arizona, they might be happy with any return they could possibly get out of Jones. The only issue is that Arizona continues to hang around in the National League Wild Card race. It’s going to be hard this season to determine how many teams will be selling at the deadline, considering how many teams are still in the hunt for a Wild Card spot. But when the time comes at the end of July, the Diamondbacks will probably be in a position to sell.
- Greg Holland, Relief Pitcher, RHP
- Anthony: Bullpen help is one of the team’s biggest needs, if not the biggest need. Holland would instantly give the Phillies bullpen another lethal weapon. Through 25 games this season the 33-year old has 10 saves, 29 strikeouts and a 2.19 ERA. His contract expires at the end of the year so it might not cost too much to bring him in. With a lot of question marks in the bullpen like Tommy Hunter, Pat Neshek, Seranthony Dominguez, Dave Robertson and Edubray Ramos, to name a few, Holland could stabilize the pen and provide another high leverage arm next to Hector Neris.
San Diego Padres
- Hunter Renfroe, Outfielder
- Jon: Hunter Renfroe is destroying baseballs in San Diego, but his price tag is going up and the Padres are looking to trade the 27-year old. Renfore isn’t the only player on the market for the Padres as they are looking get premium pitching to go along with it’s young talent and Manny Machado. Renfroe would be a great addition, but the problem is that the Phillies don’t have what the Padres want. Unless the Phillies can magically make something happen, this deal seems very unlikely.
New York Mets
- Zack Wheeler, Starting Pitcher, RHP
- Greg: No way the Mets deal Wheeler within the division; they’re not the Marlins! If they did, the Phillies would be wise to inquire, but not overpay. He’s a righty with a live arm, but inconsistent results. The Phillies have plenty of that exact profile already.
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Starling Marte, Outfielder
- Anthony: Starling Marte is a stud of a center fielder. He can hit pretty well while providing gold glove caliber defense. He’s 30-years old and under contract through the 2021 season which would normally give his team all of the power in negotiations. However, this is the Pirates we’re talking about, they traded Austin Meadows and Tyler Glasnow for an aging Chris Archer. For the sole fact of knowing their front office is prone to making bad trades I’d kick the tires on Marte. I’d be weary of paying too much for him, though, knowing the Phillies have a few good options in the minors for center field.
- Melky Cabrera, Outfielder
- Jon: Anthony’s right about the Pirates. They’ve made some bad deals recently and that may drive the Pirates to up the price on any available players this season. But that may not be the case for a player like Melky Cabrera. He is only under contract for this season for only $1.15 million. If the Phillies are looking for a good bat off the bench, Cabrera could be the guy. Cheap price tag, can hit from both sides of the plate and is putting together a solid 2019 campaign. Not a season-altering trade, but maybe a necessary one.
Follow Jon Jansen on Twitter (@jjansen34) and e-mail him at [email protected].
Follow Greg Hall on Twitter (@WePodAndWeKnow) and e-mail him at [email protected].
Follow Anthony Mazziotti on Twitter (@AntMazziotti) and e-mail him at [email protected].
Subscribe, rate, and review all Philly Influencer podcasts here. Follow Philly Influencer on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.