Philly Front Office

The June edition of our monthly look at the MLB Trade Deadline focuses on the teams that did not expect to see their names sleeping at the bottom of the standings this far into the season (with one exception). These are the teams who came to Spring Training thinking they had a chance, but the first two months of the season still has them in bed. Of course, things can change. The darling of this very same trade column one year ago was the Cleveland Guardians. They turned everything around once the team finally came together in late summer. So, this is not the kiss of death, rather just looking at potential inventory come August 3 at 6pm in case that wakeup call never happens..

Boston Red Sox

• Record: 25-34
  • The Red Sox are only 4 games out of the wildcard as of posting and they are loaded with talent, but they are also ALWAYS looking to tinker if it means adding young talent and shedding cash.
• Players:
  • Sonny Gray – SP: Gray is having a solid season and considering he is in the final year of the original 3/$75m contract he signed with the Cardinals, the Red Sox will likely move him. Since he is only on the books for $11m for the year thanks to the Cards covering 2/3 of his salary, he would be easy to take on for any club. Whether the Phillies add to their pitching staff is a different question.
  • Aroldis Chapman – RP: At 38 years old, Chapman still looks like one of the best relievers in baseball thanks to his sterling .48 ERA. His contract is for $13m with an option on 2027 for the same price that vests with 40 innings pitched. Adding him to Jhoan Duran would be something to behold.
  • Willson Contreras – 1B/DH: After years of posing as a catcher, Contreras is now officially a full time 1B now. He’s also right-handed and killing it with solid numbers all around. If Bryce Harper wants some real protection in the lineup, he would need to move to the outfield for this one. His contract calls for $18m this season and $17m next season. In terms of improving the lineup, Contreras is the way to do it.
  • Jarren Duran – OF: Boston might be kicking themselves for not pulling the trigger on a Duran trade in the offseason because he is not having a great year. His numbers are down across the board but he at least has 2 more years of control left and a 9 WAR season under his belt back in 2024. Him being left handed does not exactly help him get to the Phillies either.

MLB Trade Deadline Preview 2.0

Kansas City Royals

• Record: 23-38
  • They weren’t supposed to be great, but they weren’t supposed to be this bad either. Injuries to the pitching staff have been a killer though.
• Players:
  • Lane Thomas – CF: Thomas’s stats are bad but if you close one eye and just look at him against lefties, he isn’t too bad. Against southpaws, he walks more than he strikes out and has a .789 OPS on the season, down from his career .854, but still good. He would not cost much and could platoon in center or left.
  • Kris Bubic – SP (injured): The man is very good, but always hurt. If he can get back on the mound for a few starts before the deadline, the Royals would be silly not to listen on him especially in his final year of team control at just $6m.
  • John Schreiber – RP: Schreiber has been a solid reliever in both Boston and KC over the last 4 seasons. The righty doesn’t make much and will almost certainly be changing teams if he can keep up his 2.70 ERA. Not a ton of swing and miss but he gets ground balls at a very high rate.
  • Carlos Estevez – RP (injured): The former Phillie has been on the shelf nearly all season.

Detroit Tigers

• Record: 25-38
  • The Tigers are one of baseball’s biggest disappointments this season and with Tarik Skubal certainly not coming back and an otherwise young team, they could look to have a fire sale.
• Players:
  • Tarik Skubal – SP: I almost do not want to put him here. The Phillies are not going to trade for Skubal unless it involved Jesus Luzardo and a contract extension. Neither are likely. Though hurt right now, Skubal is arguably the best pitcher in baseball and wants to be paid like one. It also means he is likely a pure rental who will cost a ton, the kind of ton the Phillies do not have. Reporters link the Phillies to him, but I would rather spend the money on the next guy on the list instead.
  • Riley Greene – OF: Greene is 25, having a great year, and still has 2 years of control. The Tigers are much more likely to build around him than deal him. Still, considering the payday he is working towards and the dearth of available outfielders out there, they will listen. Even though Skubal is just a rental, they would probably need the same package for a deal. I would rather give it to Greene.
  • Matt Vierling – OF: Don’t let the awful overall numbers fool you, the Tigers are playing him as an everyday outfielder when he is really a platoon bat.
  • Kenley Jansen – RP: Dombrowski has been flirting with Jansen for years but they’ve yet to seal the deal on a trade. Though currently injured, the 38 year old righty is still doing his thing, getting people out, and managing over a K per inning. He makes $9m this season, so he is likely to move and won’t cost very much. I can’t say I would be excited about it though.

A Look Back at the 2011 MLB Top 100 Prospects and… Whoa!

Houston Astros

• Record: 27-35
  • They have been beset by injuries and aren’t that far out of contention, but they certainly didn’t believe they’d be in last place come June.
• Players:
  • Christian Walker – 1B: Walker had a miserable first year in Houston, but he has rebounded back up to his career norms this season. The Norristown native still has $20m left on his contract next year and would probably come cheap because of it and the fact that he’s 35. He is right-handed though and would offer similar protection for Harper as Willson Contreras. Again, Harper would have to move to right field.
  • Josh Hader – RP: Hader was just activated from the IL, so we don’t know if he is the all-world Josh Hader we are used to. He is one of the few players out there who is properly which actually makes finding his value difficult. At $19m per season for two more years, he is not a bargain nor a burden. IT would be awesome seeing him with Duran though.
  • Tatsuya Imai – SP: The Astros only signed Imai this offseason and he missed time due to injury, but because he has an opt-out in his contract after the season, Houston could look to cash in at the deadline depending on how he does. He started pretty bad but has two straight good outings. He is someone to monitor even if the Phillies don’t need starting pitching.
  • Jeremy Pena – SS: He is making close to $10m this season and has one more year of club control. You wouldn’t think he’d be someone the Astros want to sell, but they also let Kyle Tucker go without trying to pay him. Considering Pena is having a slightly down year from last year’s best, he will probably be available for the right offer. For the Phillies, it would be playing 3rd base.

San Francisco Giants

• Record: 23-38
  • YIKES! Everything must go, but no one in their right mind would want any of it.
• Players:
  • EVERYONE: What an awful collection of bad contracts and underachievement. I’m sure the Giants would be happy to sell literally anyone on their roster, but none actually look to be good fits for the Phillies unless you really squint.
  • Rafael Devers – 1B/3B: A miserable April gave way to an amazing May, but his 7/$200m remaining on his contract is terrifying. We haven’t even gotten to where he might play. While 3rd is technically an option, he’s not even close to Bohm with the glove. Would Harper move to right field for him? I can’t really imagine having another gigantic salary on the team though.
  • Luis Arraez – 2B: Shockingly, Arraez has turned himself into a good fielder. Putting his average and contact into the lineup would be a godsend to a team that struggles to place bat to ball in anyway. Personally, I don’t care if you move Stott to 3rd or just get rid of him altogether if we trade for Arraez.
  • Matt Chapman – 3B: Look, I really don’t like this. He is 33 and in decline with a huge contract (4/$100m remaining), but… Well, he still hits righties and has a mean glove at 3rd base. The Giants would probably give him away right now AND cover half his salary. He probably still isn’t worth it. If I could get them down to paying $15m of the $25m per year remaining, we should consider him. He is this year’s Nolan Arenado.

Phillies Pharm Update: May ’26

NY Mets

• NOPE! I am not going to take the bait and invite myself to reverse jinx the Mets into being good. Until they are dead, I will not speculate over where to put their grave or sell their organs. I fully expect them to get hot at some point.

Contracts: Spotrac

Statistics: Baseball Reference

Photo: Getty