August 03, 2026
Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA Today Sports
It's an important Monday for the Phillies' front office.
After 6 p.m. today, the Phillies should be better on paper.
Just how much better, and at what positions adds to the drama that will unfold on MLB's deadline day.
There are some varied opinions, but it seems pretty apparent that the baseball world expects the Phillies to make some moves. Says Buster Olney:
The Phillies might be the most intriguing team because of their recent freefall. Would they be so bold to make a move for a better defensive shortstop and push Trea Turner to the outfield? Especially with the Harper-David Dombrowski dynamic, there is a lot of pressure on the Philadelphia front office to be bold — at a time when the team is on the verge of dropping out of a playoff spot.
We know that Dombrowski greatly values Alex Cora and tried to hire him back in April; would he call him again now? It just seems like the Phillies are poised to shock us as they position themselves for the last two months. [ESPN]
Will they shock the world and do something drastic? Or just look for some good bargains to give them depth for the run for October? From beat writer Todd Zolecki:
The Phillies should have enough talent to make at least a couple trades before 6 p.m. The Phillies could move forward with Painter as their No. 5 starter -- he is scheduled to start Wednesday against Washington at Citizens Bank Park -- but it wouldn’t address their depth concerns with the starting pitching.
...
The Phillies should be able to find a late-inning reliever, too. How about a reunion with Blue Jays right-hander Jeff Hoffman? Bats? The Braves acquired Lane Thomas, but there are others out there. But the Phillies have had interest in Angels outfielder Jo Adell, Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward and Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho. There are reports they have expressed interest in Dodgers outfielder Alex Call and Giants second baseman Luis Arraez, although it’s difficult to see how that works without moving Alec Bohm or Bryson Stott.There are others out there, too.
Buckle up. Something is going to happen today. It would be stunning if it doesn’t. [MLB.com]
Here's a quick look at where the Phillies are attempting to land upgrades:
Currently on the roster the Phillies have a lot of moving parts. Brandon Marsh's impressive start has subsided and he's becoming more and more a platoon hitter who is only really startable against right-handed hitters. Bryan De La Cruz is mashing the ball but it's been a very small sample size of eight games since his July call up. Justin Crawford is becoming steadier in centerfield, while Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Derek Hill have become less reliable.
All in all, the names above don't really sound like a World Series winning outfield. Will the Phils improve their platoon options or grab a true everyday bat?
Big blown saves from Orion Kerkering and Jhoan Duran in recent games has shown even the most trustworthy arms in the Phillies' bullpen are far from infallible. However, they are two pitchers whose jobs are safe. José Alvarado, Jonathan Bowlan and Tim Mayza are probably safe too. But that leaves three spots in the bullpen open for improvement. The safest bet is that the Phillies will add at least one, if not more than one reliever.
What does Andrew Painter's return and six-inning quality start in Baltimore Friday really mean? Was he auditioning to be traded for a serious upgrade? Will the job be his going forward? Was one start enough for the Phillies to ditch efforts to add a fifth starter?
The truth is, as Zolecki said earlier in this piece, that the Phillies need depth in the rotation. They are not built to withstand an injury to any of their starters and they also don't particularly know if they can trust Aaron Nola in a playoff series. Is a long reliever with starting experience available, like Matt Strahm from years past? If so, that might be the perfect fit for this team with too many questions on the pitching staff right now. They reportedly didn't make a serious play for Tarik Skubal, who went to the Dodgers this weekend. Perhaps that's a show of their hand, that the rotation isn't a priority.
We wrote last week about the Phillies prospects (and a few current players) who might be on the move. You can check that out here.
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