The Philadelphia Phillies are going to be buyers at the 2022 MLB trade deadline.That much has been all but certain since Dave Dombrowski signed Nick Castellanos to a five-year, $100 million contract this offseason, taking the Phillies over the Competitive Balance Tax threshold
Markelle Fultz Jersey for the first time in franchise history.Things looked bleak in Philadelphia at the end of May, when the team fell eight games below .500 and 13 games out in the NL East, but thanks to a seven-game win streak to start the month of June, the Phillies are back on track.With Philadelphia sitting just 2.5 games out from a Wild Card berth, it's hard to believe Dombrowski won't try to improve this team at the deadline. After all, the two-time World Series-winning baseball executive has a reputation for making huge trades at the right moments.The big question, therefore, is not the Phillies will be buyers, but they will be trading for.While this team has more than their fair share of flaws, they don't actually have a lot of holes. They have established veterans or promising young players at every offensive position, and the rotation is stacked with five reliable arms. So how will Dombrowski make a splash at the deadline?Philadelphia has question marks all acro s the infield. It's hard to know what kind of production they can expect out of Bryson Stott and Didi Gregorius, and Jean Segura's exact date of return from a broken finger remains unclear. Alec Bohm and Rhys Hoskins have both been slumping this season.Even so, with all those guys on the roster, there isn't room to trade for any more infielders.The only way Dombrowski will trade for any infielder is if Gregorius and Stott are both struggling come mid-July. If that is the case, it's po sible Gregorius is traded and Stott is demoted to Triple-A in favor of an upgrade from outside the organization.If the Phillies choose to go that route, who could Dombrowski target? The biggest name is Xander Bogaerts, and while it's highly unlikely, it's not entirely out of the question that Philadelphia tries to make a trade with Boston. The Red Sox are currently in fourth place in the AL East, and if they find themselves out of the race by the trade deadline, they might try to deal Bogearts, who is likely to
Maurice Cheeks Jersey opt of his contract and become a free agent at the end of the season.Dombrowski is very familiar with Bogaerts, as they both played a major role in Bostons 2018 World Series Championship.Trading for Bogaerts would require the Phillies to send back a hefty package in return, but Dombrowski is no stranger to trading prospects. It has already been , so it stands to reason they might want to get a head start on that.With Bogaerts in the fold, the Phillies would have one of the most fearsome lineups in baseball.Other infield trade po sibilities include Elvis
Tiago Splitter Jersey Andrus, Miguel Rojas, andJosIglesias, though none of those names are nearly as exciting as Bogaerts.Scroll to ContinueAs for the outfield, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos have the corner spots locked down, and as much as the Phillies could benefit from a defensive upgrade out there, they certainly can't afford to lose those bats.In center field, things are a bit more complicated. Odbel Herrera is playing well, and hopefully Mickey Moniak and Matt Vierling will step it up in the coming weeks.There is room for an upgrade here, but if some combination of these three can get the job done, Dombrowski will be hesitant to give up any major trade chips, especially with no top-tier center fielders available on the trade market right now.Andrew Benintendi of the Royals (another player from Dombrowski's 2018 World Series-winning team) is one of the top outfielders on the trading block, and while he has played center field in the past, he is strictly a left-fielder these days. He could probably play center in a pinch, but the Phillies really cannot afford a defensive downgrade out there.Philadelphia may look to add another outfielder at the deadline, but it's not going to be a big-name acquisition.The starting rotation lacks depth, but as long as Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Zach Eflin, Kyle Gibson, and RangerSurez are healthy, there's no point in the Phillies adding another big league starting pitcher. They would be wise to pick up a depth arm to stash in Triple-A, but that won't be the kind of acquisition that moves the needle.However, if there is a major injury to one of those five starters, Dombrowski should drop all his plans and start looking to make a trade immediately. Bailey Falter is fine for a spot start here and there, but he's not a long-term option if Philadelphia wants to compete.Luis Castillo of the Cincinnati Reds and Frankie Montas of the Oakland Athletics will be the top starting pitchers on the market, and both would make sense for the Phillies in this hypothetical situation.Jos Quintana
Allen Iverson Jersey would be another interesting option.Now we're left with the bullpen, the most logical place for Dombrowski to make major upgrades.The Phillies have been burned by relief pitcher trades in the past (Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree come to mind), but the pen is still the best place to genuinely improve this team. It's the only area on the roster with true holes to fill, and it's the biggest weakne s
Jerryd Bayless Jersey Philadelphia has.Relievers aren't the most exciting trade deadline acquisitions, but if Dombrowski puts all his resources into improving the relief corps, he might even be able to turn it into a strength for the stretch run.There don't look to be any dominant closers on the trade market this season, but there is no shortage of good relief pitchers. While the Phillies could use a real closer to usurp Corey Knebel, they would benefit the most from adding twoor even threeabove-average relievers so that Rob Thomson has someone reliable to call on in any situation.The biggest names that should be up for grabs include David Robertson, Daniel Bard,lex Colom, Anthony Ba s, Chris Martin, Mychal Givens, and Steve Cishek. Philadelphia should be in on each and every one of them.If Paul Sewald of the Seattle Mariners is available, he could be the closer the Phillies are looking for. While Sewald is not a free agent until after the 2025 season, Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto is known to make bold trades, and if Seattle is completely out the Wild Card race in July, he might part with Sewald for the right price.More From SI's :
The Wall