The Philadelphia Phillies could look to make a splash ahead of the August 3 MLB Trade Deadline.
Philadelphia is expected to add a bat, but the team could also help in the bullpen. Last season, the Phillies made a splash by acquiring Jhoan Duran to bolster the backend of the bullpen, and MLB insider Joel Sherman believes the team could make another splash.
Ahead of the trade deadline, Sherman named the Phillies the best fit for Houston Astros closer Josh Hader if the Astros decide to trade him.
“You know who’s always going for a championship? The Philadelphia Phillies,” Sherman said on MLB Network about what team is the best fit for Hader. “Here is what I would say is, there was no team the Dodgers were more scared of in the postseason last year than the Phillies, because of the three starters and Duran at the end. Would you like to make it Hader and Duran at the end (of the bullpen)? Philadelphia.”
If the Phillies can acquire Hader, the backend of the bullpen would be dominant and tough for opposing teams to rally late in games. However, the Astros may want to be buyers rather than sellers.
Hader has two more years on his five-year, $95 million deal. He’s 3-1 with a 1.47 ERA in 20 games this season.
Astros Unlikely to Trade Hader
Although Sherman believes Hader is a good fit for the Phillies, it’s unlikely Philadelphia will actually trade him.
MLB insiders Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN said the likelihood of Hader being traded is 30%, but they do believe Houston should listen on him.
“Considering the utter lack of high-end relief pitching available at the deadline, Astros general manager Dana Brown would be smart to explore trading Hader, even as Houston mounts a run toward a wild-card spot,” the article read. “Franchise stewardship entails understanding markets and using them to your advantage, and with teams packed so closely and in need of a differentiator, a lockdown ninth-inning arm is quite a way to differentiate. The one potential fly in the ointment: Plenty of teams are fundamentally against paying $19 million per year for a one-inning reliever.”
However, despite the Astros likely getting a haul for Hader, all signs point to Houston holding onto him.
Phillies Looking for Bullpen Help
Philadelphia is battling the Atlanta Braves for the top spot in the NL East.
Ahead of the deadline, the Phillies have a couple of needs, but NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Cole Weintraub named the bullpen one of the biggest.
“The bullpen has pushed its way into the deadline conversation. The Phillies’ relief group has a 6.59 ERA since July 1, third worst in MLB. Since June 1, it sits at 5.08, seventh worst. Brad Keller is likely out for the rest of the season. Tanner Banks, who was heavily relied on over the past two years, regressed and is now hurt. José Alvarado has struggled mightily. Getting the ball to Jhoan Duran in the ninth has not been smooth enough, even as the closer is putting together one of the best relief seasons Philadelphia has seen in more than a decade,” Weintraub wrote.
And, if the Phillies want to make a big swing, Hader would be a massive swing.
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