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There Was No Good Bat For the Phillies To Trade For At The Deadline

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Author and Dylan MacKinnon
Adam Duvall #18 of the Boston Red Sox runs on his RBI double as Justin Turner #2 scores behind him in the third inning against the New York Mets at Fenway Park on July 23, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.

The trade deadline came and went, and the Phillies did not add a power bat. It would be easy to understand if fans were frustrated by the lack of a move. The Phillies are currently 9th in runs in the NL. While their pitchers carry them, some of their high priced hitters are letting the team down. And adding another power bat to give the scuffling lineup a boost would have been ideal. The problem? There was not much out there. A lot of names people would have liked did not get moved. And some of the guys who were moved, were not difference makers.

Don’t take my word for it though. Jayson Stark joined The Best Show Ever the day after the deadline, and he too thought the reason the Phillies did not make a move is that there just were no good moves out there to make.

I guess I would ask you this, what righthanded bat who got traded at this deadline was a difference maker? None right? I spent this whole day listening to GMs complain about how little talent was out there. This was the worst hitters market I can remember. Justin Verlander has made more All Star games than all the hitters who got traded combined.  

The Phillies would have loved Adam Duvall, never got traded. They Interested in Tyler O’Neill, never got traded. They were clearly very interested in Randal Grichuk, but they lost out on him because the Angels were willing to take two guys. I am sure they had tons of talks about Teoscar Hernandez. Backed off because there is a ton of swinging and missing, and shaky defense… He never got traded by the way. The Yankees tried to push Harrison Bader on them, but sounds like they wanted Johan Rojas. They talked to the Cardinals about Dylan Carlson, but they were asking about Abel, Painter, or Justin Crawford. They weren’t doing that.

This really became a choice between overpaying for one of those names, or coming to the conclusion that we are better off with Rojas, Pache, And Marsh, and preventing runs rather than scoring more runs.  

…

The names that were traded, were not great. And a lot of the names that may have moved the needle, either were never on the market, or would have cost way too much. You would be willing to give up a name like Andrew Painter if a true star was out there. But would you give him up for Harrison Bader or Dylan Carlson? Probably not. As disappointing as not getting a guy is, just making a move for a underwhelming player would not have made things better. What they have now may be better than the moves that were there to make.

There was another interesting tidbit from the Jayson Stark interview though. And it concerns a right-handed power bat the Phillies have been missing since Spring Training.

“I know they were telling teams there is a chance Rhys Hoskins could be factor as a right handed bat at some point. I don’t see how they could count on that. Seems like such a longshot. But I spoke to a guy from outside the team, who says he was told that.”

You can listen to the full conversation with Jayson Stark below:

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Tracking All The Moves At The MLB Trade Deadline

It’s about that time of the year. The MLB Trade Deadline is August 1st, and teams are starting to make moves. Good teams are shopping around for that final guy that can get them over the top. Bad teams are looking to offload players in hopes to get that prospect that can get them back to winning.

World Series can be won and lost at this time of the year. Joe Blanton was a deadline deal. And while he was not the flashy name that got fans excited at the time, he was a big part of the World Series victory. Cliff Lee was obviously a deadline deal. So what will the Phillies do? Are they going to add the big right-handed bat everyone wants them to do? Starting pitching depth? Another Bullpen arm?

Dave Dombrowski has a history of making great deadline deals, whether it was when he was in charge of the Tigers or Red Sox. And the Phillies are expected to be big players at this deadline too.

Keep track of everything the Phillies, and the rest of the MLB, get up to before this Trade Deadline here.

  • Dodgers Acquire Amed Rosario From Guardians for Noah Syndergaard

    You can tell the Dodgers are a bit desperate for SS help. Gavin Lux was supposed to be the answer for them after they let Trea Turner walk in free agency. But he tore his ACL before the season started. And the replacement options have not been any good. Miguel Rojas has played most of the games at SS, and his Batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage are all under .300.

    In comes Amed Rosario, who is… better? His on-base percentage and slugging are at least over .300. But he is still not a great answer. All of his numbers are near career lows this season. But he has been solid in the past. So if he can bounce back to what he was last year, it would at least bring some stability to the position.

    They gave up Noah Syndergaard to get him. Noah has a 7.16 ERA this season in 12 starts. So at least they didn’t have to give up anything of value to get Rosario. It feels unlikely this will be a deal that has huge implications down the road. It just shows how desperate the Dodgers are for SS help.

  • Angels Acquire Lucan Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez

    Lucas Giolito is a pretty big get for the Angels. He was one of the bigger-name Pitchers available at the deadline. But obviously, the most important thing about this trade is what it means for Shohei Ohtani. We learned earlier in the day that the Angels would be buyers, not sellers, and this confirms it. So the Angels will hold onto Shohei, in hopes to win with him before he walks in free agency this offseason.

    And Giolito is a good step toward doing that. he has a 3.79 ERA across 21 starts this season. As for Lopez, he has a 4.29 ERA out of the pen. The deal is not likely to put them over the top. But it should at least help them stay competitive. And as we saw with the Phillies last year, if you just make it to the playoffs, you have a chance to win it all. Especially when you still have the best player in Baseball like the Angels do.

  • Dodgers Acquire Kike Hernandez

    The Dodgers are doing whatever they can to upgrade Shortstop. To the point that they are bringing both Hernandez and Rosario in, hoping one pans out. Like Rosario, Hernandez is not exactly having a great season. In 86 games for the Red Sox Hernandez had a slash line of .222/.279/.320. But he is at least a familiar face. 

    Hernandez played for the Dodgers from 2015 to 2020 and was part of 3 runs to the World Series, though they only won once. He has at times been a solid starter, with 20+ HR potential. But he has struggled badly the last two seasons. Like Rosario, he is an upgrade over what they had, but barely.

  • Marlins and Twins Swap Relievers

    The Marlins are one of those teams the Phillies are fighting for a Wild Card spot with. And the first move they made at the deadline was swapping relievers. Lopez thus far has a 5.09 ERA in 37 appearances. He has struggled ever since he joined the Twins last season. But with the Orioles, he had been dominant. Last year in Baltimore he had a 1.68 ERa in 44 appearances. So he has stuff that can play at this level.

    Dylan Floro is another guy having a down year, but who has put up good numbers in the past. Maybe a change of scenery will get both of them back on track.

  • Carlos Santana is Heading to the Brewers

    A former Phillie is on the move. The Brewers are pushing in to secure their spot at the top of the NL Central by adding the bat of Carlos Santana. The First Baseman is hitting .235 this year so far with the Pirates, with 12 HRs. He will replace Rowdy Tellez, who is currently in the injured list, and has struggled a bit at the plate when healthy.

  • Marlins Trade for David Robertson

    One of the Phillies Relief Options at the deadline is off the board. There will not be yet another reunion with David Robertson. The Mets are trading him to the Marlins. Robertson was having a tremendous season for the Mets, and will now join the recently acquired Jorge Lopez in the Marlins pen. And the Marlins can use the help. They are 2-8 over their last 10 games, after a great start to the season.

    For the Mets, it more or less means they are giving up on the season. And for good reason. They are 48-54, 7 games out of the Wild Card, and things are not turning around fast enough to make you think they can still fix this. So it may be worth keeping an eye on them for future trades. Tommy Pham is another name likely to move.

    The Mets get two rookie leaguers, who are 18 and 19 years old, back for Robertson.

  • Dodgers Acquire Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly From White Sox

    The Dodgers continue to be the busiest team at the deadline. This team they are acquiring starter Lance Lynn, and relief pitcher Joe Kelly from the White Sox.

    Lynn is in the middle of the worst year of his career. In 21 starts his ERA is 6.47. His last time out he gave up 7 runs in 6.2 innings to the Cubs. But he has been a Cy Young candidate in the past. So the Dodgers are probably hoping a change of scenery can help the 36-year-old figure it out. With a lot of injuries to their rotation, and the healthy guys besides Kershaw struggling, they are as desperate for starting pitching as they are for SS help.

    As for Joe Kelly, he was one of the bigger names in the relief pitcher market. The 4.97 ERA is ugly. But a lot of that is inflated by an ugly start to the season. He was solid in May and June, but has had a couple of bad outings now in July.

  • Astros Trade for Kendall Graveman

    The White Sox firesale continues. Now they are moving Kendall Gravman to the Astros. Graveman actually was part of the Astros team that lost to the Braves in 2021. He pitched really well for them across that post-season run, with a 1.64 ERA across 11 innings in the playoffs. He turned that into a 3-year deal with the Whitesox. And now a year and a half later he heads back to Houston. He has a 3.48 ERA so far this season.

    He joins an Astros team that is locked in a very competitive AL Wild Card Race, and who are just 2 games behind the Rangers for the lead in the AL West.

  • Mets Continue Fire Sale, Send Max Scherzer to the Rangers

    Lol Mets. Mets fans were so overconfident when Steve Cohen took over. He started acting like the new George Steinbrenner and buying every player available. Now a couple of years later, they already seem to be starting over. With the Mets 5 games under .500 at the deadline, they are calling it quits. They agreed to send Max Scherzer, who is in year 2 of a 3-year $130 million deal, to the Rangers. This after they already traded David Robertson.

    While the Mets fold, the Rangers seem to be pushing all in. They currently hold the lead in the AL West and hope this move will help them keep it with the Astros right on their heels. But they are not exactly getting Max Scherzer at his best. After having a sub 3.0 in 7 of the last 8 seasons, it is up to 4.01 this season in 19 starts. But maybe a fresh start with a new team will help the 38-year-old regain his form. As part of the deal, he is reportedly opting into his final year of the deal.

    The Mets get Ronald Acuna’s brother, Luisangel Acuna, back in the deal. The Mets will cover the majority of what he is owed over the rest of his contract.

  • Cardinals Trade Jordan Hicks to Blue Jays

    Another relief pitcher is off the market for the Phillies. The Cardinals are sending Jordan Hicks, who becomes a free agent this offseason, to the Blue Jays. Hicks currently sports a 3.67 ERA across 41.2 innings. He will join a Blue Jays team fighting for a Wild Card Spot. For now, they hold the final spot, but the Red Sox are just two games behind them, with the Yankees 3 games out, and Angels 4. They also still feasible have a shot at the East, but trail the Orioles by 5 games.

    The Cardinals, 11 games out of a playoff spot and 14 games under .500 are calling it quits on this year. But don’t expect them to sell Arenado, after the Team president already said that move is off the table. Guys like Paul Dejong and Jack Flahtery are prime candidates to be moved though.

  • Rangers Acquire Jordan Montgomery From Cardinals

    Then Rangers continue to add, while the Cardinals continue to sell. After already acquiring Max Scherzer, the Rangers also add Jordan Montgomery to their rotation. Montgomery has been one of the few Cardinals starters actually having a good season. He sports a 3.42 ERa through 121 innings. Now he joins a rotation that includes Scherzer, Jon Gray (3.66 ERA), Dan Dunning (3.28 ERA), and eventually Nathan Eovaldi (2.69 ERA), but he is currently on the IL. Relief Pitcher Chris Stratton (4.5 ERA) also goes to the Rangers in the deal.

  • Angels Acquire CJ Cron and Randal Grichuk from Rockies

    Angels are trying to make the most out of what is likely their last year with Shohei Ohtani. After already adding Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to their pitching staff, they now add Cron and Grichuk to their lineup. Grichuk was a guy a lot of people fans wanted, due to the pop he offers from the right side of the plate. But now the Phillies’ potential options for a power-hitting righty grow fewer.

    Cron is having a solid season despite playing for the cellar-dwelling Rockies. He has 11 HRs in just 55 games.  Which would put him on pace for 30 HRs over a full season. He was a guy often attached to the Phillies when Rhys Hoskins first got injured. But has not really been attached to the Phillies since. Grichuk however was at times attached to them. He has 8 Hrs and is hitting .312 in 63 games.

    The Al West was been very busy at the deadline, with both the Angels and Rangers now making multiple blockbuster deals.

  • Diamondbacks Acquire Closer Paul Sewald From Mariners

    One of the Phillies’ competitors for the WildCard spots is bolstering their bullpen. They are acquiring closer Paul Sewald from the Mariners. Sewald has a 2.83 ERA and 20 saves so far this season. Next year is his final year of arbitration.

    Perhaps more importantly for the Phillies, is this signals the Mariners are open for business. And while they did not pick up Sweald to bolster their already formidable bullpen, they could look to the Mariners to fill their need for a righty bat. Teoscar Hernandez is now likley be dealt. And while he is having a down year in his first season with the Mariners, he still has 16 home runs, and would immediately be the Phillies 2nd best power hitter. 

  • Mets Trade Mark Canha to the Brewers

    The Mets fire sale continues. Now it is Mark Canha being shipped off. Canha has struggled in his first two seasons with the Mets. But now he gets to jump off the sinking ship in favor of the Brewers. Canha was a name some floated as a potential move for the Phillies. But it would not have been much of an improvement over what they have now. Canha has just 6HRS so far this season, with a slugging % barely over .400.

  • Rays Acquire Aaron Civale From Guardians

    One of the best Starters on the market is on the move. Aaron Civale is heading to Tampa. He is in the midst of a career year, posting a 2.34 ERA through 13 starts so far. His career numbers are less impressive, but the Rays are hoping going forward it will be this year’s version of Civale they see. He does not hit free agency until 2026.

  • Cubs Decide to be Buyers, Acquire 3rd Baseman Jeimer Candelario from Nationals

    3rd Baseman Jeimer Candelario has been one of the few bright spots for the reeling Nationals this season. The 29-year-old is having one of the best seasons of his career, hitting 16 HRs so far with an OPs of .823. And since he is on just a one-year deal, and they have no chance at the playoffs, they are choosing to flip him at the deadline to the Cubs, who Candelario started his career with.

    More important for Phillies fans is what this likely means for Cody Bellinger. Bellinger had been a popular name in trade discussions for Outfield needy teams, like the Phillies. But the Cubs’ recent success has them back in playoff contention, and they seem to be choosing to go for that rather than selling at the deadline. Which probably means you can take Belinnger off your wish list for the Phillies.

  • Braves Acquire Former Phillie Brad Hand

    A former Phillies relief pitcher is joining the Braves. Brad Hand spent last season with the Phillies. He was pretty good for them in the regular season less so in the playoffs. But now after spending the first 4 months of the season with the Rockies, he is heading to Atlanta. The lefty reliever has a 4.54 era on the season so far. Interestingly, he has now played for all 5 National League East teams.

  • Padres Acquire LHP Rich Hill and 1B Ji-Man Choi from Pirates

    The Padres will be buyers, not sellers, at the deadline. Not too surprising given they are still within striking distance for one of the 3 wild card spots. But it is a continuation of a trend of teams being unwilling to sell, which hurts the overall market. The move they made though is not the biggest of splashes. They acquire Rich Hill and Ji-Man Choi from the Pirates. Neither guy screams difference maker. Hill has a 4.76 ERA, though we recently saw him give the Pirates a decent start vs the Phillies. Choi has shown decent pop in limited playing time this year but also has an OBP of just .224.

  • Blue Jays Acquire SS Paul DeJong From Cardinals

    Another Cardinals Player is on the move. They are sending Paul Dejong to the Blue Jays. DeJong has 13 HRs, but also an OBP under .300. He is not a free agent until 2026, so the Blue Jays get a decent amount of control with there being club options on him the next two seasons.

  • Justin Verlander Returns to the Astros

    Justin Verlander left the Astros in Free Agency this offseason. It did not take him too long to get back to Houston though. After just 4 months playing with the Mets, he is being traded back to the Astros. Verlander was the Cy Young winner last year with the Astros, with a 1.75 ERA. The 40-year-old hasn’t been quite that good this season, but it would have been hard to repeat what he did in 2022. His ERA is still just 3.15 in 16 starts.

    The Mets get two outfield prospects, Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford, back in the deal.

  • The Phillies acquire Michael Lorenzen from the Tigers

    The Phillies finally joined the party. They are acquiring Michael Lorenzen from the Tigers. The RHP has a 3.58 ERA through 18 starts. But he also has a history of pitching out of the pen and could return to that role come playoff time when the rotation gets shortened. Expect the Phillies to go with a 6-man rotation at least for now, with not many days off coming in August. They send Hao-Yu Lee to the Tigers in the deal. Read more about the move below:

    Phillies Trade For Right-Handed Starter Michael Lorenzen

  • Brewers Acquire RP Andrew Chafin from Diamondbacks

    it is not often you see two teams both competing for the Wild Card make a trade with each other. But that has now happened two seasons in a row, and both included the Brewers. Last season the Brewers shipped Josh Hader to the Padres. This year they are the ones buying a relief pitcher. They acquired Andrew Chafin from the DBacks, who have been struggling and are 3-7 in their last 10 games. Chafin has a 4.19 ERA this season, but his career ERA is 3.31, and in 2021 he had a sub-2.0 ERA. So there is clearly an upside.

  • Marlins Acquire Jake Burger From The White Sox

    The struggling Marlins are doing what they can to stay in the Wild Card race. After already swapping relievers with the Twins, they are now bringing in Jake Burger from the White Sox. Burger struggles to get on base or make contact, with an OBP under .300. But when he does make contact, it goes a long way. He has 25 HRs so far for the White Sox. And they will have him for a while, with Burger not even being eligible for arbitration until 2025. The White Sox did not really have an everyday role for him when everyone is healthy, with both 3rd base and DH taken up, so they opt to trade him instead.  A good move by a team the Phillies are fighting for a Wild Card spot with.

  • Austin Hedges Traded to Rangers

    After adding two pitchers to their rotation, the Rangers are also adding a bat. Granted the bat is not very impactful. Catcher Austin Hedges is heading to Texas. Known more for his glove than his bat, Hedges is hitting under .200 and is one of those rare players with a slugging percentage under his OBP. He will not be helping the Rangers score any runs. But like many backup catches, he is good at calling games, and good with the glove.

  • Tommy Pham Is Heading to the D-Backs

    Another right-handed left-fielder is off the board for the Phillies. Tommy Pham is heading to the B-Backs, who the Phillies are obviously contending in the Wild Card with. He is hitting .268 with 10 HRs on the season with the Mets. But there are also a lot of off-field concerns, including when he got into a fight with Joc Pederson over Fantasy Football. Still, given the Phillies’ need for right-handed hitters, he would have helped here.

  • Orioles Acquire Jack Flaherty

    The Orioles were obviously looking for a starter at the deadline. Their name was attached to several different guys. They landed on the struggling Cardinal’s former Ace Jack Flaherty. He has a career 3.58 ERA, but that is up to 4.43 this season. We will see if a change of scenery helps him out with him heading to a Baltimore team that has shocked the Baseball world by climbing to the top seed currently in the AL.

  • Yankees Acquire RP Kenyan Middleton From Whitesox

    If Phillies fans are upset by a quiet deadline, Yankees fans are likely furious. it has been a very disappointing season for the Yankees, and many fans hoped a deadline deal could turn things around. But the only move they made was bringing in Middleton, a solid relief pitcher, from the White Sox. he has a 3.96 ERa in 39 appearances.

  • Phillies Acquire Rodolfo Castro for Bailey Falter

    The Phillies did not add a right-handed power bat. But they did add a switch-hitting infielder. Rodolfo Castro, who once lost his phone sliding into 3rd base, has been traded to the Phillies. He will fill the role left behind by Josh Harrison after the Phillies DFA’s him to make room fro Michael Lorenzen. They send Bailey Flater to Pittsburgh in the deal. You can see the  full details of the move below.

    Phillies Trade Bailey Falter to Pirates For Infielder Rodolfo Castro

  • Padres Trade For Scott Barlow

    The Padres final deadline move saw them bringing in Scott Barlow, a righty reliever, who has struggled thus far this year. Barlow had been very good the past few seasons. But his ERA has ballooned up over 5 this year, and outside May he has been prone to blow up innings.

  • Marlins Trade Jean Segura and Prospect for Josh Bell

    The Marlins already improved 3rd base today, now they also looked to improve on Garrett Cooper at first. So they shipped Jean Segura, who the Guardians will release, and Infiield prospect Kahlil Watson to Cleveland, to get back the lefty Bell. Bell’s struggles from the 2nd half of last year have continued into this year a bit though. His slugging is under .400, for the first time since 2020 when he played for the Pirates. His numbers this season are actually worse than that of Garret Cooper. So it is an interesting move by the Marlins, who seemingly hope he can regain his Nationals form. The Guardians will release Jean Segura.

  • Garrett Cooper Traded to Padres

    With Josh Bell in town, there was no longer room on the Marlins for Cooper, so they turned around and sent him to San Diego. Cooper is hitting .256 with 13 HRs. Not great numbers, but better than what Bell has done so far this season.

  • Dodgers Settle for Ryan Yarbrough

    The Dodgers almost acquired Eduardo Rodriguez. But he utilized his no-trade clause. So after shopping around the SP market, and with Dylan Cease staying in Chicago, the Dodgers had to settle, similar to how they had to settle in the SS Market. They bring in Royals starter Ryan Yarbrough. Who while not bad, is also not the type of guy who is going to blow you away. He has a 4.24 ERA in 7 starts and has also come out of the Bullpen for them.

 

 

Tyrone Johnson is the host of “The Best Show Ever” on 97.5 The Fanatic. He has been with the station for the past 8 years. Before working at the Fanatic, Tyrone produced political radio, did financial reports, and was assistant chief engineer of another radio station. As a content creator for 97.5 The Fanatic, Tyrone writes articles on the Sixers, Eagles, Phillies, and Flyers.

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