July 25, 2023
We are less than a week away from MLB's trade deadline and the Phillies will definitely be doing something to upgrade their roster.
If you ask MLB.com, the team might be bringing back some not particularly memorable players who have already been here before.
According to the website's list of 17 players most likely to be traded, four of them are potential fits for the Phillies, three are pitchers, and two have played here before.
Infielder Carlos Santana was briefly a first baseman for the Phillies before he was flipped in the Jean Segura trade that indirectly helped lead them to a World Series run years later, as Segura was pretty clutch at times in 2022. Bryce Harper seems pretty comfortable at first base and the Phillies have a bunch of guys who can play DH so.... not sure it's a good fit in reality. Here's what MLB.com's Mark Feinsand wrote:
Carlos Santana, 1B, Pirates
The 37-year-old veteran has had his ups and downs at the plate this season, but he remains a disciplined hitter with a high walk percentage and low strikeout rate. Since June 14, Santana -- an impending free agent due roughly $2.25 million this season -- has a .753 OPS and remains a solid glove at first base. [MLB.com]
Maybe if Santana could play right field?
The pitchers do make a little more sense. Reliever Jordan Hicks is the kind of flamethrower Dave Dombrowski loves to have in his bullpens, and he's on a very cheap deal. He was mentioned in the piece as a fit.
Former Phillies reliever David Robertson has an expiring contract and is wasting a stellar season with the middling Mets. He was a Phillie twice and played a role in their bullpen last fall as the team made its surprising playoff run.
Finally, a starter, Jordan Montgomery, who has been stellar for the Cardinals and might be the best match of the bunch for the Phils, who would be wise to add some depth and veteran reliability to their starting rotation as they push for postseason positioning. Wrote Feinsand on Montgomery:
Jordan Montgomery, LHP, Cardinals
When president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said last week that the Cardinals would be trading some players, Montgomery – an impending free agent owed a little more than $3 million this season – became an instant candidate to be dealt. The 30-year-old has been a reliable rotation option for the past three seasons, pitching to a 3.27 ERA in 31 starts since being traded to St. Louis a year ago. [MLB.com]
The Phillies are right on the cusp of holding a wild card spot in the NL after a bad start following the All-Star Break. Their real need, in all reality, is a right-handed hitting corner outfielder who can spell Kyle Schwarber and put him at the DH spot every night.
But pitching will help, and three of the four options above would certainly be great additions to the Phils down the stretch.
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