The Philadelphia Phillies have had a brutal begin to the second half of the season. With a 3-9 file and dropping 4 straight season losses, GM Dave Dombrowski and the entrance workplace are in want of creating a giant transfer.
Struggling first baseman Bryce Harper advised the media that the Phillies need assistance. And that the entrance workplace must be pursuing “bats and arms.” Did Harper again himself right into a nook with interim and president of baseball ops. Dave Dombrowski?
As commerce rumors began to trickle in initially of the season, the Phillies had been favorites to land Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and add to their dominant rotation. However have they got the farm system to drag off such a blockbuster commerce?
In latest information, MLB insiders have linked the Phillies to the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels. Which gamers are their high targets?
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Bryce Harper’s Obvious ‘Feud’ With Phillies Administration Stirs Up Commerce Rumors
After a 1-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on July 28, Bryce Harper admitted that the Philadelphia Phillies need assistance come October. Harper says the Phillies want bats and arms, however pushes it on Baseball Ops Dave Dombrowski on whether or not they can pull it off or not.
Harper’s feedback received him in a little bit of scorching water with interim supervisor Don Mattingly. Mattingly later responds saying that when a participant says one thing like about his workforce, it insinuates that he doesn’t like one in every of his teammates.
“I sense that Bryce is considering it. I don’t actually sense that anyone else is considering it, actually. I imply, you’ve been via this. Guys need to be a GM for what you want and not using a actual understanding of the place the group is, precisely the place this factor goes not solely this yr, however shifting ahead.
“Gamers like being GMs and making calls and spending different folks’s cash. I’ll simply let it go at that. I imply, (Phillies President of Baseball Operations) Dave (Dombrowski) has been doing this awhile. He’s by no means actually backed away from attempting to get guys. We’re attempting to get higher. We’re attempting to get higher on the deadline… Whenever you say one thing about our workforce, then you definately’re saying one thing about one in every of our gamers that you simply don’t like.”
Mattingly claims that the remark from Harper doesn’t hassle him. Nevertheless, Dombrowski and Harper have excellent ‘beef’ following his feedback surrounding Harper commerce rumors final October.
However, is a Harper commerce practical for the Phillies? He has 5 years left on his 13-year, $330 million contract and is one in every of their most constant hitters regardless of having a down yr.
New York baseball columnist Luis Area pitches a one-for-one commerce proposal that sends Harper to the Yankees in change for right-handed pitcher Cam Schlittler.
“Cam Schlittler’s inventory has by no means been larger,” Area wrote on X. “Name up Dave Dombrowski and inform him it’s one-for-one: Bryce Harper for Schlittler. It’s clear the Phillies are carried out with him, and he wants to return residence to the Yankees.”
Nevertheless, each the Yankees and Phillies haven’t listed Schlitter and Harper as commerce candidates. In order of now, it looks like Harper will proceed to etch his identify in Philadelphia historical past.
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Which Blue Jays Emerge As Commerce Candidates?
A number of MLB insiders report that the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies are rising as commerce companions.
Bob Nightengale of USA At the moment was the primary to report that the Phillies are fascinated by late-inning reliever Jeff Hoffman.
MLB Community reporter Jon Morosi explains that quite a lot of these Blue Jays gamers had been within the World Collection final yr and is aware of what it takes to win. He particulars that the veterans out there in that discipline are beginning pitchers Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber, Hoffman, and outfielders George Springer and Daulton Varsho.
Phillies beat author Jeff Kerr confirms that the Blue Jays had scouts in Double-A Studying over the previous few weeks, making their commerce partnership very imminent.
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Phillies Eying Angels Shortstop Zach Neto, What Does that Imply for Trea Turner?
ESPN’s Jeff Passan confirms that the Phillies are in commerce talks with the Los Angeles Angels to accumulate 25-year-old shortstop Zach Neto. However the place does this depart present Philadelphia shortstop Trea Turner?
Since 2024, Neto has a wRC+ of 114, which is 2 factors hirer than Turner’s wRC+ of 112. Fielding smart, Turner has an fWar of 0.7 and 19 errors on the season and Neto has a dWAR of 0.9 and 15 errors.
Nevertheless, Passan alludes that Turner is right here to remain.
“You’ll be able to take massive swing and attempt to get a man like Zach Neto,” Passan stated about Dave Dombrowski making a transfer on the deadline. “Neto may probably play second base, you might have Bryson Stott probably transfer over to 3rd after which ultimately Trea Turner strikes off of shortstop, both middle discipline or second base,”
The Angels are in search of a giant haul in change for Neto, that means the Phillies would doubtless should intestine their farm system to get him.
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Ken Rosenthal Says Phillies Are Not ‘Critical’ Gamers in Tarik Skubal Talks
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, joined “Foul Territory” on July 30 and mentioned that the Philadelphia Phillies are now not main gamers within the Tarik Skubal race.
“I’m fairly sure that Dave Dombrowksi would like to get his arms on Skubal, I simply don’t see the Phillies having sufficient to do,” Rosenthal stated. “They produce other wants too, within the outfield and notably their bullpen. This isn’t a workforce with a great farm system.”
A serious clause within the Tigers commerce pitch to surrender Skubal, is that they need a number of high prospects, and gamers who’re MLB-ready.
Among the many Phillies high 20 prospects, they solely have one pitching prospect in Triple-A, RHP Alex McFarlane. And whereas their no. 1 general high prospect Gage Wooden is a pitcher, he’s doubtless not somebody who the Phillies are prepared to surrender.
Sadly for the Phillies, it’s exhausting to compete in opposition to such powerhouse farm programs just like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
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