Jeff Passan Makes Interesting Phillies Trade Proposal
The Phillies are expected to be aggressive at the trade deadline. Frankly, they need to be aggressive. They currently sit with a strong record, which has them in contention for…
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 18: Emmanuel Clase #48 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after striking out Patrick Bailey #14 of the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the ninth inning to end the game at Oracle Park on June 18, 2025 in San Francisco, California. The Guardians won the game 4-2
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)The Phillies are expected to be aggressive at the trade deadline. Frankly, they need to be aggressive. They currently sit with a strong record, which has them in contention for the best record in the NL. But the cracks are clear. Not just this year, but also considering how things ended over the last few years. They need bullpen arms, and they need another bat in the lineup.
Jeff Passan suggested a way the Phillies may be able to kill two birds with 1 stone. In his article, 2025 MLB trade deadline: Passan's top moves for contenders, Passan laid out moves he thinks make sense for every contending team. His move with the Phillies is certainly interesting. He suggested that they target a trade with the Guardians that would bring back both Steven Kwan and Emmanuel Clase.
"As long as the Phillies are aiming high -- and nobody aims high quite like Dave Dombrowski -- perhaps they could take a run at landing both Clase and Steven Kwan from Cleveland. Maybe it would take Andrew Painter. Maybe Aidan Miller. Maybe Justin Crawford.
Regardless, the Phillies' window is closing, and getting both club control (Clase is under contract through 2028 and Kwan through 2027) and cost certainty (Clase is due $26 million for the next three years and Kwan less than $20 million for two) would make dealing high-end prospects significantly more palatable."
Does It Work For The Phillies?
Let's start with the obvious. Clase would be a great get for the Phillies. Not only does he give the Phillies the shutdown closer they need, but like Passan mentioned, they would have him through 2028. He finished 3rd in the AL Cy Young race last season.
Kwan is a great hitter. But he is not a perfect fit for what this lineup needs. They need more pop from the right side, and Kwan is a lefty contact hitter. He would bring a great glove, good speed on the basepaths, and put the ball in play, but it would not fix their need for a righty hitter.
That said, he would differ from some of his teammates in that he is not someone who is going to get himself out at the plate by swinging at bad pitches.
The thing Phillies fans might balk at is the cost. Not the cost of paying those two players, though they both would hurt John Middelton's pocketbook, but the cost to acquire them via trade. If you are getting two players like that, under team control, you are moving at least one of the "untouchable" prospects. Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller, or Justin Crawford. Maybe more than one. But you are getting two very good players, who will be here for at least 2 more seasons.
They need to do something. Record aside, it is clear this team needs help. Fixing the bullpen is a must, but they can't ignore the lineup either. This deal would make the Phillies a much better team.
If you think this is the Phillies' best chance to win it, maybe it is worth the cost. Because Clase and Kwan would be a massive deadline haul for a team already competitive with the rest of the league.
