It's no secret that the Phillies need bullpen help. Their performance on the field has made it obvious.
Countless games this season have been made more difficult to win — or have been losses — because the Phillies' strong starting staff saw a game get made more complicated by an unreliable core of relievers.
Phillies relievers so far
| Category | Stat | MLB Rank |
| ERA | 4.56 | 24th |
| WHIP | 1.393 | 22nd |
| BAA | .260 | 25th |
| Slugging % against | .426 | 26th |
| Save opportunities | 32 | Most |
| Blown saves | 14 | 2nd most |
| Inherited runner score | 39% | 2nd worst |
We could run out of room lamenting over how bad the stats are. The Phillies have blown 14 saves and are still, somehow 39-29 this season.
But a recent stretch of play that saw the squad go 3-10 now has them 5.5 games out of first place in the NL East behind the Mets, a team with a similar deficiency. Which means, with the trade deadline fast approaching in a month and a half, Philly and New York might not only be battling each other on the field, but also in negotiations.
Here's a recent report from The Athletic's baseball insider Jim Bowden:
6. The Mets and Phillies look headed for an epic division race in the NL East, but between now and July 31 they’re also in a race to see which team can bolster its bullpen the best. According to industry sources, both organizations are focused on high-leverage arms and will be chasing similar relievers.
6. The Mets and Phillies look headed for an epic division race in the NL East, but between now and July 31 they’re also in a race to see which team can bolster its bullpen the best. According to industry sources, both organizations are focused on high-leverage arms and will be chasing similar relievers. [The Athletic]
How aggressively will front office chief Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies be in adding to their bullpen? With reliable relief pitching always at a premium, Bowden surmises in the same article that the Tigers and Cubs will also be in strong pursuit of mercenary arms.
Another baseball insider, Bob Nightengale, expects the Phillies to be among the most "aggressive" teams at the deadline:
– The Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres are expected to be the most aggressive teams at the trade deadline. The Phillies will be looking for a center fielder and bullpen help, the Mariners are once again desperate for offense, the Cubs are seeking a front-line starter and relievers, and the Padres are searching for a left fielder. [USA Today]
We already pondered some early candidates for relief pitching upgrades during the upcoming trade season. With the league boasting six Wild Card slots now, the number of sellers has never been lower, which only increases the potential price of adding pitching.
Last season, the Phillies struck gold in trading for Carlos Estévez (who is absolutely dominating with his new team the Royals this season) and the price was very reasonable (George Klassen and Sam Aldegheri). The Phillies also, interestingly, traded away Gregory Soto and Seranthony Domínguez last summer.
This summer, they are badly lacking in depth and serviceable arms, and will be trying to find their next Estévez before the Mets do.
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