The Phillies remain interested in adding a right-handed hitter with the trade deadline approaching, writes Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Ideally, that acquisition would be a corner outfielder, though that’s contingent on Bryce Harper.
The Phils plugged Harper in at first base for tonight’s game in Cleveland. It’s the two-time MVP’s first defensive action of the season. He had been limited to 62 games as a designated hitter after last November’s Tommy John surgery.
Hitting puts far less stress on the UCL in Harper’s right elbow than throwing does. The Phils gave him two months of bat-only work as a result. They’re still not ready to plug him back into right field and it’s unclear if he’ll be able to man the outfield grass at any point in 2023.
Even if he can’t play right field, demonstrating an ability to consistently play first base over the next week and a half would be a major boost for the front office. With Harper at DH, the Phils have had to use Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber as their corner outfield pairing. Even with an excellent defensive center field combination of Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas (or Cristian Pache when healthy), that’s a suboptimal defensive alignment.
Schwarber’s -18 Defensive Runs Saved ranks last among all major league outfielders. The Phils would certainly prefer to keep him at DH, where he’s in the lineup tonight.
Assuming they’re comfortable with Harper’s form over the coming days, Philadelphia could look for right-handed hitting outfield help. Tommy Pham and Mark Canha have been the subject of trade chatter with the Mets scuffling. There could be some complications in pulling off an intra-division swap, though the Mets are only in position to consider moving Pham and Canha because they’re long shots to make the playoffs in 2023 regardless.
Randal Grichuk could move as an impending free agent on a last place Colorado team; as MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently explored, Grichuk is having a decent season against left-handed pitching and would be a much better defender than Schwarber. The Mariners’ middling year might lead them to consider offers on Teoscar Hernández, though he’s another bat-first player with limited defensive utility. Oakland’s Ramón Laureano is still hitting for some power against lefties amidst a dismal season overall; he has been on the injured list for a month but seems likely to be back before the August 1 deadline since he’s on a rehab stint.
Philadelphia certainly isn’t without right-handed hitters who can do damage. Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, Castellanos and Alec Bohm all hit from that side of the plate. Nevertheless, the Phils have been a slightly below-average lineup against lefty pitching. Entering play Friday, they raked 16th with a .253 average against southpaws. They’re 25th with a .306 on-base percentage and ninth in slugging at .434. That overall offensive output, as measured by wRC+, ranks 18th.
They need to get candelario asap
Candy man would be nice, but I bet the Phillies will be ones who take up the rumored Tiger offer being shopped around the league. I’d imagine the Phillies would have to send out Justin Crawford if they want the Javy Baez, Casey Mize, Lorenzen, and ERod package.
Tigers would be dumb to package those guys instead of selling them individually. If they did package them you ain’t touching that with one decent A level prospect. Would cost Phils Abel and Crawford plus.
Also don’t see how that really helps the Phillies. They don’t need infield help that desperately (and it’s debatable as to whether Baez qualifies as “help” at this point). Rotation depth is a need, but not to that degree.
They would be much better served targeting corner outfielders and a solid innings eater
Myles Straw is about to be flipped to the Phils for one the Phil’s middle relievers
Why does that help us?
Trade w/ Detroit. Vest and Tork for Crawford, Abel and a couple teenage international guys. DD loves dealing prospects.
Why would they want a first baseman with Harper back?
Pretty hard for an offense to stink it up while scoring five runs, but the Phillies managed to do that tonight.
O’Neil
O’God, please no.
You can have Trey Mancini for a half eaten Philly cheesesteak(from some random unauthentic Philly cheesesteak place.
Why on earth wouldn’t you want ONeill?
2 time gold glover
Just came off the DL been on base 5 times in the 2 games since his return.
You can’t have him. But why the heck wouldn’t you want him???
according to the unqualified manager, he doesn’t hustle rounding 3rd
You said it yourself unqualified manager.
ONeill has something to prove. And he will.
Have you ever heard anyone say they “used” to have a bad back?
He looks as healthy as I have ever seen him. Most importantly he’s laying off the low and outside pitch. He does that look out. Pitchers are still afraid of him you can tell.
You base that off of two games?
The reason no one wants O’Neil is because it’s the trade deadline where teams are looking for sure fire ways to improve, not take flyers on players who have had back to back poor seasons and cannot stay on the field.
I’m sure some basement dwelling team will sign O’Neil in the off-season but it’s July 22nd, O’Neil would need a massive power surge over the next week for any team to be interested.
A weak back, about a week back
He’s not a free agent after 2023 he has another year of control left. And this year isn’t over yet champ.
Again I don’t think he’s available. Cardinals are trying to win. You folks can do whatever you do I plan on watching winning baseball the rest of the year.
As a Blue Jay fan also shopping for RH outfield bats, I’d take O’Neill. The bar is pretty low as the Jays’ left on left matchups have resulted in a 68 wRC+. And I do think his recent performance and injury history justify him as a part time player and that’s the price point that has to be reflected. If the asking price is reflective of more of a full time player, I’d just as soon get that quality of guy instead.
Cardinals fans seem to not want to part with any of their position players even though they have real needs on the pitching side if they do indeed want to be competitive in ‘24 and are devaluing so many of their position players by playing them out of the positions they are most valuable at or cutting into their playing time.
Well you can have someone else then. Who else is available? Teoscar might be he can come back. But he makes a heck of a lot more money than ONeill does. That might not matter to you but it does to the Jays. That’s why he’s on the Mariners now of course.
The Cardinals have position players to trade. Donovan has an 800 OPS right now but he’s having an arm issue at the moment. Edman could be had but I don’t think the team wants to sell low on him.
The Cardinals are not selling that’s the key here. They will make a move or 2 but it’s going to be designed to help the team both now and in the future.
You are quite delusional
I think you’re misreading the off-season motivation for those trades. Teoscar wasn’t financially driven. If he was, they wouldn’t have turned around and spent a bunch of money on middle class part time players. The Jays always leave room in the budget for trade season.
On the “selling”label. They have themselves said they are focusing on ‘24. So I’d say they are buying but for ‘24 and we’re already seeing less of the strictly prospect for major leaguer clear buyer/seller dichotomy and more surplus need for need type trades since the introduction of the let every halfway decent team into the post season format. The Cardinals have surplus major league position players and a one man rotation for ‘24. That’s compounded by the relatively low number of highly value prospects in the system. It’s interesting because I’ve heard from Cardinals’ fans in the last several days the sentiment that no way they should trade each of the players on the roster. I guess it’s not that every fan wants them to hoard it all but more that there’s not consensus in the fan base about who to keep and who to trade. I’m interested in the Cardinals and there are a few pieces that could help the Jays if they were available but I don’t see them as good trade partners as the Jays don’t really have the upper minors pitching that the Cardinals would likely want in return. All their near ready prospects are infielders of which the Cardinals have more than their fair share of.
Trade for Canha just to get him off the Mets. He’s a Phillie killer and 7 of their last 10 games are against Flushing. I’m only half-kidding.
@Walk Off IBB Canha actually hits better vs righties over lefties believe it or not. He is one of those reverse split type players
Call The Yankees and ask for Giancarlo Stanton. The Guy once hit 50+ homers and won an MVP. His exit velocity is the best in the world. There has to be some value in those 3 things. Something? anything? please make it happen.
Nobody is taking on even part of that remaining contract.
I’d take it 2/3 paid down the next two years and 1/3 thereafter.
Sold. No take backs darkside.
He’s got a no trade, which is the only reason he’s on the Yankees to begin with.
Huh? Isn’t that remaining contract money, “stupid money”? Doesn’t Middleton thrive on spending stupid money?
The Marlins are already paying a big chunk of it.
The Marlins aren’t paying anything this year. They will pay 10m starting in 2026 if he opts in.
Said it at the time and still saying it. The Marlins absolutely fleeced the Yankees. Anytime a team gets rid of more 200 million in payroll commitments they won the trade without getting anything back.
@iverbure: something like this?
mlbtraderumors.com/2012/08/red-sox-dodgers-complet…
Anytime.
The Phillies need a SP. 2 of the 3 games SP has gone 5ings. They need someone who can pitch deeper. When they went on that run it was SP(going deep into games)
I wouldn’t mind SP depth, but really that’s not an area of huge need. Their pitching has been great. Their offense is infuriating.
I disagree. As good as Cris has been, they are screwed if one of their SP – especially someone not named Sanchez – goes down.
Well exactly. Like I said, depth would be nice, but right now there’s giant gaping holes in that lineup. That should be the priority IMO. It shouldn’t be hard to find a decent backend starter, but that should be the secondary move.
I don’t see such holes. Outside of maybe another bat to be the LF, but I’m skeptical about how much some of the names mentioned move the needle.
The new only holes they have in their lineup is the holes in their heads. Thinking that just because once a player hits a HR in the game they can all hit a HR in the game. And no need to just hit the ball for a hit. Hence the reason they leave so many men on base.
Nah. We have had little to no production from guys like Hall, Clemens, Harrison and Sosa all year. They’re fine as bench players, but one or more of these guys (or Cave) is starting every game. That’s a big hole.
Phils need to call up Los Nats for Candylane
Gonna have to fight Yanks for him.
Hunter Renfroe would be available if Ohtani goes.
Which I doubt happens.
I think Renfroe would be available regardless. He seems likely to be a valuable trade chip for Halos. Maybe not a super high prospect in return, but should be one or two prospects to help them at least as early as next year.
Bryce played really well today at first. They should have pulled a trigger on a Rhys Hoskins trade a couple years ago
Pick me! I once got a hit in little league baseball… sadly, I think one season, I got his 10+ times and made contact with the ball < 10 times. The ball hit me more than I hit the ball. Lol
Are you fully capable of stranding runners on base? If so, DD, sign this guy up!!! He’s your player the Phillies are looking to get!
Goldschmidt would be a solid addition. Consistent hitter, good defender, they’d have him for all next year as well, would fix the hole at first, then maybe trade Hoskins or let him walk
Oh yeah sure. I’ll bet Aaron Judge and Mike Trout might be good additions as well.
actually neither would be much help at the moment
lmao… is this a joke? why not just put ohtani at first? Maybe you can just get Machado and Tatis too. why not Soto while you’re at it
They want a capable defender in the OF to push Schwarber back to DH. Goldy would make Harper the DH. Leaving Schwarber, the worst OF in the game this year, still playing the field.
Personally, I would rather have Arenado over Goldschmidt. I’m tired of seeing Sosa let balls get through the info. And Sosa’s hitting, NOTHING! Move along, nothing to see there.
If you get Goldschmidt, then what do you do with Harper? Can’t put him back to DH and Schwarber back in LF.
They have no problems getting runners on, but huge problems driving them in. That Hoskins injury haunts them.
TBF, Hoskins was streaky as heck. He clears Hall/Clemens/etc, but I think the problem is not that difference.
The lack of production from 1B or 3B when Bohm is at first, is pretty glaring, but yes it’s not solely Hoskins.
I still maintain this team has needed a 3B since the off-season, moreso then a SS. Should have brought back Segura and got a real 3B.
I’d agree.
Lol. Segura is doing worse than Turner.
So who is this ‘real 3B’ they should have gotten???
Trade for CJ Cron and play it safe with Harper at DH
This is the correct answer. Rox just want his roster spot and playing time. He’s available for scraps and is just heating up.
I have been saying that since Hoskins got hurt. It just amazes me that teams now will wait until the deadline before trading anything other than cash. Player trades used to happen all the time in May and June because teams recognized their deficiencies. Rick Sutcliffe once won the NL Cy Young despite playing the first month and a half in the American League. Now everyone just wants to move players around to where the entire team is playing out of position instead of just trading for the guy you need simply it is not the end of July.
I came here to say the same.
He just went back on the IL, so that’s not a solution
Who just went on the IL? Cron? Not true. He got scratched today for a spasm, but didn’t go on the IL.
Justin. Turner.
Throw in Kike for nothing. It’s a fair deal and it strengthens both clubs.
Duvall, Turner, kike, Martin and Paxton to the Phillies. For who? I don’t know but it would not be overwhelming.
They are all guys not in the future for the Red Sox but can make a big impact on a veteran playoff team now. Kind of why they signed with the Sox thinking that they’d be close to getting a chip with them. Kike and Turner are Utley disciples and the Philly fans would appreciate their style of play. Duvall goes places and contributes just like he did with the Braves. Martin would be a great addition to a strong bullpen and Paxton seems healthy and a second lefty arm in the rotation would mix things up. These guys are older but that’s what makes championship teams. For Phillies fans remember the impact of guys like Matt Stairs, Moyer, Eyre Blanton and a few others that joined the 08 team that year or a little earlier. Every team has a story of guys like that and it’s what makes a championship run/playoff run fun. Whether they get exactly those guys, they need a few pieces that have experienced the lights and can turn it on when asked to come in, compete and contribute.
Paul. Goldschmidt.
STL. Isn’t. Trading. Non-rentals.
They might not trade rentals either. We will see 9 games before the trade deadline the Cardinals will wait until the last second to decide I believe.
The Cards are gonna win the NL Central. Coogan’s Bluff revisited in the Midwest. JMHO, but don’t count out what good players can do.
Lol. Stop. I agree about not trading non rentals, but the Cardinals are not a good team This recent streak is just that. They’re not winning the division.
Von,
Don’t forget, this is pretty much the same thought-for-dead team that reeled off 17 wins in a row in 2021.
Not saying history will repeat itself, but the Cards are heating up at the right time. Plus, the NL Central is pretty weak.
Selfishly, as a Phillies fan, I’m hoping they don’t rally before the trade deadline and we get a shot at trading for Goldie.
I didn’t think they were good last year either, but the division was pathetic. The Brewers are a very good team this year. The Cards are qp below .500. I respect your dedication, but it’s over. I will publicly apologize if the Cards win the division, but I think that’s ridiculous and the Cards need to retool to compete in 2024. That being said, with 3 Wild Cards, maybe something flukey can happen, but there’s no way they win the division.
I’ll concede the Brewers are a decent team. However, I would not call them a very good team. They have lots of holes on offense, especially with Tellez on the shelf. Should get a huge boost when Woodruff returns in August. He and Burnes make a pretty good one-two punch.
Admittedly, I haven’t looked at the Cardinals schedule for the rest of the season. However, if they still have a lot of games left within the NL Central and the AL Central, well, maybe they can go of a 15-5 run or something close to it.
If they have one big flaw, it’s with their SP. Only Mikolas and Montgomery are reliable. Matz could surprise if he can replicate the mojo he had with the Blue Jays, but I wouldn’t bet more than a few bucks on that happening.
If the Cards do get on a roll, they might have to do it by winning a lot of 8-6 type games.
To be fair, neither are SD and CHC, but don’t tell them. The whole darn NL seems to want to buy for some reason.
I don’t care that the Brewers just beat us. They aren’t that good. They still have no offense and the pitching isn’t even as good as in the past.
Wait and see
I spent a couple weeks trying to be a seller. I got some of the dumbest replies you could imagine. Fans from teams like the Guardians, Orioles Diamondbacks and Mariners were all happy with where their teams were at. Nobody wanted to make a deal. Heck I had a Yankee fan tell me they should wait until next year.
If that’s the kind of response Mozeliak got when trying to shop our players I would have told them to get lost.
You never made any offer or suggested anything that I can remember. I heard a lot about how Painter and Abel aren’t available. Ok well good luck to you then.
The Brewers a good team? Ha! They’re only leading their division because they hardly played any East division teams this year. (AL or NL) Look it up! They only played half as many East division teams as any other team played so far this year. Put them up against the big teams and really see how good they are.
Why do you think Bud moved them out of the AL back in the day. Because he knew they can’t compete against the East juggernaut of behemoth teams.
And they can only seem to beat the Phillies when they get those wonderful umpiring crews. Ala Angel Hernandez last year, and that umping crew they had in that series last week.
Goldschmidt has a NTC. Has anyone ever waived their NTC to go to Philly? Like anyone ever?
I don’t think the Cardinals will sell at this point either. If they do they don’t want to trade Goldschmidt.
He might to get out of that St. Louis dumpster fire.
I have been to Philly. It’s not for everyone.
The Cardinals are playing great right now. I think they will make the playoffs. I literally bet on it last night odds to good to ignore.
Careful letting your heart make bets. It NEVER goes well.
This is a dumb comment. St. Louis isn’t some great paradise. If the Cards are out of it, an older player would likely waive his NTC for a shot at the playoffs. Now, I don’t think the Cards will be trading Goldy. I also don’t think this hot streak will be sustained. So I think they need to be trading some pieces, but Goldy won’t be one of them.
Yeah. Isn’t STL one of the most dangerous cities in the US? I’m sure it’s pretty and all and wouldn’t bet on any city being worse then Philly without having seen it for myself, but what I’ve been told says STL could give it a run for it’s money.
Most of our major cities these days are war zones. There are parts of Philly I wouldn’t go into without a tank escort. Thankfully, the stadiums are located just off Rte. 95 with easy in-and-out access that doesn’t require a lot of risk.
Quite true. Very easy to travel there and back from, say, Delco without having to actually do the Philly experience.
In St Louis much of the crime takes place in certain areas. We won’t get into the details on that. In Philly it’s not quite the same.
I will say this as diplomatically as I can. Philly is not for everyone. I think Harper is a great fit for the city but it’s not for everyone.
Goldschmidt isn’t getting dealt the team doesn’t want to trade him any more than he wants to accept a trade. And good gosh even if we did want to deal him we aren’t offering him up to the team who knocked us out of the playoffs last year. It’s not happening.
The Cards are not dealing Goldy, we agree there, but they definitely wouldn’t mind dealing to a team that eliminated them in the playoffs. That’s fan nonsense. Teams don’t care.
Cardinals don’t trade with playoff teams in the national league. It’s a fact it’s not nonsense. You want to prove me wrong look it up. Good luck finding the last time that happened. Sincerely good luck I hope you try.
Edmundo Sosa was traded to the Phils from the Cards last season. Also the Jon Lester trade with the Nats. I see a few small deals with the Dodgers and Marlins as se on playoff years.
Ever? Roy Halladay for starters.
Most players use NTC to either get contract extensions, guaranteed options or raises. Unless they are super soft personas, Philly is not an issue (think Greinke) and that wouldn’t be good for them or the team so no big deal.
Philly really doesn’t have a problem getting players, esp in free agency. That was a problem years ago and even during that period we landed Rose and Thome.
Mike Trout and 90% of his remaining salary to Philadelphia for PTBNL
Might as well throw in Anthony Rendon while you’re at it. Maybe joining the rest of the former Nats in Philly could help.
Mets should package Tommy Pham, Drew Smith, and Carrasco for Mick Abel. Helps the Phillies out in the short term and helps the Mets out in the long term. The Mets are in desperate need of pitching prospects. Abel is nothing special, probably at best a 3rd starter. While I think Drew Smith and Carrasco are some of the worst players in the league, a lot of people on this site think they are great. Phillies probably say no but I’d love this trade
Why trade our best healthy SP prospect for a grab bag from the discount isle?
Phillies definitely say no, but you can still love the idea of this trade.
Sorry, Bart Harley. He’s not allowed to like the idea of that trade. It just too stupid.
I just called his mom and told her. She said she would talk to him and set him straight.
no one believes anything they say … according to them Gary Sanchez was going to be the best hitter and jeff brigham the best reliever … also vientos for hader straight up along with Bednar from the pirates and iglesias from the reds “wouldnt cost much”
@Roll You don’t know anything. Gary Sanchez has been one of the best offensive catchers since getting called up despite his low BA. I still believe that Brigham is better than half the Mets bullpen, Showalter just didnt use him right. For example, Brigham always came in and had for the
most part, a clean inning. For whatever reason why, Showalter kept putting him out their for a second inning, and every time he pitched in a second inning he did bad. Brigham is a one inning reliever. I’ll take him any day over the likes of Drew Smith, Leone, or Hartwig. As for Vientos for Hader, the Padres gave up Ruiz for Hader basically straight up. Rogers was having an awful season that year, he was basically a salary matching throw in
“Gary Sanchez has been one of the best offensive catchers since getting called up despite his low BA”. …
by what metric by what eye test? 13 extra base hits over 150 best offensive catcher? Going a month with 1 home run and usually 0 for while being the starting catcher? Also what about Murphy, Contreras (either one), Alvarez, D’arnauld catcher by trade and backup C, Realmuto, Will Smith, Rutschmen, Gomes, do i need to keep going? He had one good 2-3 week run which i said he is good for once he got called up with the mets and repeated when he signed with the padres. He is playing like the backup for the Brewers in Caratini. Which it sounds like they may push sanchez to backupand give campy more time.
“For whatever reason why, Showalter kept putting him out their for a second inning, and every time he pitched in a second inning he did bad. Brigham is a one inning reliever.”
At the beginning of the season? Funnily enough, out of his last 7 outings the only good outing was when he pitched more than 1 inning. When he was anything but mop up / low leverage (which i again said earlier in the season) he would falter and blow up. After smith’s suspension, thats exactly what happened. I never thought that bad but it is what happened. So he proved he middle inning guys when no shot in the game but even then he going to give you nail biter. His last outing like 6 out of the prior 7 were HBP HR Walk thats a clean inning right there … couldnt register more than 1 out through 4 batters. It ws painful to watch..
As for Vientos for Hader, the Padres gave up Ruiz for Hader basically straight up.
You always conveniently forget about Gasser who is milwaukee’s number 5 prospect and was top 10 for padres as well (8 if i remember right). Who also is not doing too bad probably end up mid to back end starter at mlb level sometime next season. But like your boy Brigham needs to learn to keep the ball over the plate and not hit batters. Could be a star could fizzle its prospect always wildcard but is on upper end atleast. Lamet was more the salary matching and still was ok in colorado last season after being cut by milwaukee,
“basically straight up. Rogers was having an awful season that year, he was basically a salary matching throw in”
Rogers was basically being paid by the twins still … his actual salary pay out for the padres was a whopping 1 ish million which was the increase in arbitration which that would also have to be prorated up to that point and i am not doing that math. Milwaukee kicked back money as part of the hader trade. Also at that point Rogers was having about the same season as Hader. They were betting on Hader to comeback to form and not current season Hader.
Just admit you are wrong which i know you wont.
None of those guys are worth anything, let alone a top prospect. I hope this was a joke post.
Renfroe, Grichuck or C.J. Cron make sense.
Everyone saying Candelario but Candelario is a switch hitter that hits better from the left side, doesn’t really solve what they are looking for
Adam Duvall makes almost too much sense
You can have Stanton.
Phillies arent the only team in need of a right handed bat.
Bold prediction, CJ Cron is gonna take the Dodgers to the promised land.
Cron isn’t have a great season. He may get traded to the Dodgers, but he isn’t a huge difference maker this year.
He is starting to heat up now though. He has played well the past week or two. He is right at All Star level when he is peaking.
Turner and Paxton for your top 2 prospects plus a mlb ready reliever
Funny. If it’s Turner plus an arm for a top prospect then that arm is Whitlock or Bello.
Nick Senzel ?
I like Senzel. Has some pop. Has some speed. Versatile (2B, 3B and OF). Been doing well vs. LHP.
Also like Carlson (St.Louis). Both these guys were #1 draft picks. Like Moniak in LA, maybe a change of scenery will allow them to produce numbers expected from a high draft pick.
Acquiring a mediocre right-handed hitting outfielder is the last thing the Phils need if they really plan to return to the playoffs this season. The team already has Rojas and Pache who may help them more than any right-handed hitting outfielder they could acquire before the trade deadline. What’s more, playing Harper at first base is a huge mistake. He risked serious injury tonight when he dove into a camera well to catch a foul ball. Harper only knows how to play at full throttle and, although admirable, this competitiveness could lead to potentially serious injury if he is playing first base – a position fraught with injury potential. He could very easily reinjure his elbow, throw out his knee, or have his ankle landed on at first base by a 200-pound runner. The key to solving the Phils major problem is to trade away the team’s weakest link – Kyle Schwarber. After all, the Phils realize that Schwarber is a liability playing left field, but they erroneously think risking Harper’s well-being by moving him to first base, opening up the DH slot for Schwarber, and replacing Scjhwarber in left field with whoever is available and inexpensive is the answer to their problems. It’s not. At the end of the day, the Phils would still have a leadoff hitter who is hitting .188, on track to surpass his yearly strikeout record, and hitting fewer homers than he did last season. Trading away Schwarber would be unpopular in Philly, but it is what the Phils need to do if they ever plan to get their offense on track. The Phils once traded away Hall of Famer Jim Thome to make room for Ryan Howard. The team has to do the same now with Schwarber to make room for a more consistent all around player. At the same time, the Phils need to acquire a mid-rotation starter. Rumors abound about the Phils acquiring Ohtani, trading for Soto and Snell, trading for Bellinger and Stroman, or even acquiring Goldschmidt or Arenado and a starter from the Cards. On the right day, Dombrowski is capable of making any of these trades. So, think big when it comes to the Phils next acquisitions. That’s what the Phils need to do if they expect to return to the world series anytime soon.
I am scared to death that Dombrowski might call Mo about a trade.
We’ll end up trading Goldy and Arenado for three packages of hamburger buns, the Phillies’ equipment manager, and Bryce Harper’s pool boy. Dombrowski will assure Mo that the pool boy has a hose.
To show Dombrowski he is fully in charge, Mo will instruct him to keep the hose because our grounds crew is well supplied.
Bingo. Stiffs like Pham, Grichuk, and Duvall ain’t moving the needle. Now, I’d like to believe Teoscar could, but I’m still doubtful SEA sells.
Schwarber is the only source of legit power in the lineup so he’s clearly not the weakest link; even if I want to gouge my eyes out watching him play the field. The Phillies need to make a power move. Spare me the Grichuk, Pham, Duvall nonsense. This team was 2 wins from the World Series. They’re window is now. The ball is in your court Dombrowski
^ This. Their window is now. I don’t really see a big splashy move in sight though.
I agree Von. As splashy and as dreamy as a Juan Soto acquisition would be, I just don’t see it happening
@von crazy thought as im not that adept at the phillies system and just looking at needs and rankings and such. Would a Pham for De La Cruz be a good swap for both teams?
Assuming no changes at all, Canha and Pham are gone and probably/hopefully Vogelbach too leaving some combination of McNeil/Mauricio/Vientos to cover 2 OF spots (one regular and one bench), 2nd base, and DH. Pham on the phillies gives you options for OF as he can play CF as well. Probably be horrible def but at home might not be as bad and a RH bat. De La Cruz is 9th best prospect in philly projects for next year call up and is already a R5 guy. Not sure what the mets realistically expect and not sure if this De La Cruz guy is actually good.prospect or just high on list (seems like solid average and pop from stats with a solid k rate).
Andy, Schwarber is definitely a power hitter, but a power hitter cut from the same “home run or nothing” cloth as Adam Dunn and Kong Kingman. He wants to be the leadoff hitter so he can sit on a first pitch fast ball every game. After that, he is just another unreliable and inconsistent hitter. The 40 or less homers he will hit for the Phils this year are not worth his .188 batting average, about to become record number of strikeouts, runners left on base, lack of defensive skills or running ability, or unwitting reliance on umpires who, since he went ballistic last season on national television on a missed called third strike, have been giving him favorable calls ever since. More than just a few of his walks this season should have been called third strikes. And yet, there is a market for Schwarber. A team looking for a power hitter with the reputation of being a team leader, positive influence on other players, charitable benefactor, media darling, and fan favorite will be interested in trading away a player with a hefty contract to acquire Schwarber. Since he has been hot the past month but has a long history of cooling down quickly, the Phils should trade him now while he still has trade value. So, Andy, if Schwarber is not the Phils weak link this season who is – Harper, Castellanos, Realmuto, Stott, Turner, Marsh, Bohm? No, Andy, the weak link is Schwarber – and that’s why the Phils need to trade him now.
The Phillies are in the bottom half of baseball in home runs; ranked 19th. For a team currently hitting for barely any power, having a legit “power” hitter is needed; regardless of his defensive and other shortcomings. I’ve said time and time again, if he didn’t hit home runs, he’d be one of the worst players in baseball. The fact he is hitting for power for a team lacking power is not the “weakest link”
A weak link right now is Trea Turner. Another weak link is the fact this team strikes out at an alarming rate. Constantly down in the count, swinging at bad pitches and making costly errors in the field.
For once, the bullpen is not the weakest link!
It’s easy to say trade Schwarber. What’s more amusing is the folks who say trade Schwarber, usually don’t have a solution to replace what you’re trading way.
Trading away you’re best power hitter from a team clearly lacking power right now makes absolutely no sense
Honestly I’d just take my beats with the bad defense outfield and trade for Cron to the be the everyday first baseman. Maybe use Harper there sparingly but the Phillies knew what they were getting into with both Schwarber and Castellanos. Easing Harper back onto the field seems more important to me than getting Schwarber out of the outfield.
Harper looked good at 1B already. Lots of players, including Ohtani, had this surgery. No need to be extra cautious with Harper.
Von;
Wrote in the 2021-22 offseason that Harper should be moved to 1B. Happy he has been.
Had nothing to do with Schwarber or anyone else. Has to do with getting the team leader closer to the action where he belongs – especially with the intensity in which he plays the game. Meandering around in the OF between pitches is a waste. He needs to be in on the action. He’ll be the leader of the infield as well as a source of strength to Phillies pitchers when they’re in a jam……
And in a short period of time – with his athletic ability – he’ll become one of the best defensive 1B’s in MLB….. and 1B is a terribly underrated defensive position, hard to play well, and one of the most pivotal in the defense.
Harper was playing good defense in RF as recently as pre-UCL injury. This is not a long-term move.
We’re a better team with Harper at 1B. We made it to Game 6 of the WS last year with Hoskins at 1B. The defensive bar there is low, so Harper should have no difficulty exceeding that.
The move also puts Schwarber where he belongs: Full time DH.
I’m impressed with Rojas, and until he proves he’s unworthy, I’d play him every day in CF. Fact is, I think he has far more upside than Marsh.
Thus a RH bat to platoon with Marsh in LF should be Dombro’s focus. And for that opening I prefer a hitter who won’t cost a lot, which is why I previously mentioned the versatile Nick Senzel.
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Gonna have to be a better 1B then Cron in that case.
Cron is just fine, not every trade has to be a massive splash for a huge player. Cron’s numbers since coming back from injury are actually very good as well. I just feel 1B help seems more pertinent to them than OF help on an offensive level and an inexperienced and still not 100% Harper (that lack of power is something) isn’t a real fix. Cron is a very easy to acquire, affordable and useable player whose bat should still benefit from moving from hitter friendly park to a different hitter friendly park.
Adam Duvall.
They need a RH if they change the line up like everybody wants them to. But since they are going to keep Schwarber and Harper near the top they need a lefty power bat to break up Nick, JT & Bohm.
Duvall for the return of noah song and fair prospect
I guess that rules out Ohtani.
Brian Dalbac won’t cost much.
Well, if you are looking for a proven league level hitter, you gotta give up something of quality in return. I liked LFGMets suggestion above of a package deal to get an Abel.
And if the Phillies were interested in let’s say the Orioles Mountcastle or Urias, better believe PoBO Elias would be asking about Abel. By the way, Mounty looks like his old self since off DL. I’m thinking to treat his vertigo requires meds? And the league finally approved he could play while taking it?
The problrm with LFGMets proposal was that it was a package of garbage players that wouldn’t even start on the Phillies. A win-now tream is trading for starters who immediately improve the roster.
Thanks Von. I’m definitely an outsider trying to look inward here. Cheers!
Will Myers is a free agent
“Teoscar Hernandez, though he’s another bat-first player with limited defensive utility” is the type of sentiment I hear on this particular site often as if he’s some aging guy with declining athletic ability which is far from the case. He’s a great athlete still who can run well and has a very strong arm in RF. His defensive results in the past have suffered from errors and being in a corner where you have limited opportunities to collect enough positive value plays to make up for it. But he still has the tool set to be a good outfielder and has gotten good defensive results. He has positive OAA this year. Even better DRS and UZR if anyone still uses those metrics.
Blue Jays are looking for the same and one that I’m intrigued by is Connor Joe. I think Henry Davis is set to get most of his playing time in the outfield so Joe is probably getting squeezed out of playing time and has been really good vs. LHP this year.
Get anyone who can hit with runners in scoring position!!!!!! LOB is killing us
Hey all….time for my $.02c worth.. First, losing Hoskins has hurt all season long.. However, I think the writing was/is on the wall….he won’t be back..I think more so if Harper succeeds at 1st.. For this remaining season, while I can almost bet Dave D does do a deal, I can’t fathom what it would look like.. I have read the guesses here… while I do not think Goldie will be moved, I won’t be shocked either. DD said earlier in the week that he has assurances from Middleton that if need be, there is money to be spent..
I actually can see more huge major acquisitions in the off season. For now, who knows…
The cards have one or three right handles