The Philadelphia Phillies have struggled heavily as of late, losing eight of their last ten games. Amidst the struggles, superstar Bryce Harper was placed on the Injured List with a wrist injury. Despite the recent issues, the Phillies still sit in the National League’s top Wild Card spot. The team has aspirations for a deep playoff run and will likely be buyers at the trade deadline.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently reported that the Phillies “are expected to be (one of) the most aggressive teams at the trade deadline.” Nightengale also claimed, “The Phillies will be looking for a center fielder and bullpen help.”
So, let’s take a look at who the Phillies could add.
Center Field
Brandon Marsh has been the Phillies’ primary center fielder since they traded for him back in 2022. Over his Philadelphia tenure, Marsh has a .772 OPS and has graded out as an above-average fielder. There’s no doubt that he has gotten the job done and been a valuable piece, but unfortunately, his 2025 season has seen a decline in production. Right now, he has a .656 OPS that includes a pitiful .325 slugging percentage. Johan Rojas has platooned with Marsh and has been worse at the plate with a .624 OPS that is supported by extremely poor advanced numbers. Rojas does provide some value, as he is an elite defensive center fielder who ranks in the 99th percentile in sprint speed.
The bottom line is that Marsh and Rojas aren’t getting it done at the plate. At this point, Cedric Mullins is the most clear choice to trade for. The Orioles have been awful, and Mullins will be a free agent at the end of the season. Mullins has posted an OPS above .700 every season since 2020 and is viewed as a plus defender in center field.
It’s hard to imagine many other center fielders who would be a clear upgrade available at this deadline. Even Mullins isn’t necessarily an offensive upgrade over Brandon Marsh. Marsh has two additional years of control, and the two have produced similar numbers over the past few years. In fact, Marsh has 0.7 more fWAR (wins above replacement) than Mullins since the beginning of 2023.
The Phillies may be better off banking on Marsh returning to his normal self than giving up trade capital for a rental that provides roughly the same value.
Relief Pitching
While the Center Field trade options are slim, relief pitching is always available at the trade deadline. The Phillies’ bullpen is the eighth-worst in baseball with a 4.48 ERA. They must add multiple arms to believe they have a chance at a World Series. Luckily, there are multiple relievers set to be available.
One of the best is Rockies’ right-handed pitcher Jake Bird. The Rockies are obviously sellers, and Bird is popping up in a lot of trade rumors. Over 38.1 innings pitched, he has a 1.41 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. In addition to his strong numbers, Bird won’t be an unrestricted free agent until after the 2028 season. He looks to be one of the top relievers on the market and can be a critical part of the Phillies’ bullpen for years to come.
There are also expected to be many other relievers available outside of Bird. MLB.com‘s Theo DeRosa recently listed his list of bullpen pieces expected to be available at the deadline. The list was comprised of Pete Fairbanks, Ryan Helsley, Félix Bautista, Aroldis Chapman, David Bednar, Kyle Finnegan, Kenley Jansen, and Emilio Pagán, in addition to Bird.
Instead of putting their resources into trading for an outfielder, the Phillies should look to add multiple bullpen arms. It will make a much bigger impact come playoff time, and it’s the team’s biggest weakness.
Struggling Phillies “Expected to be (One of) the Most Aggressive Teams at the Trade Deadline”