The July 31 trade deadline is approaching fast, and the Philadelphia Phillies will be looking to upgrade their outfield and bullpen to make a postseason push. That’s why a former MLB general manager proposes the Phillies trade one of their top pitching prospects to the Baltimore Orioles for two former All-Stars.
The Phillies bullpen has been an area of concern all season. They lost two high-leverage arms in Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez in free agency and brought in Jordan Romano, who has posted a 6.84 ERA this season. Jose Alvarado was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a PED and is prohibited from pitching in the playoffs if the Phillies reach the postseason. Philadelphia’s relievers rank 23rd in baseball with a 4.46 ERA.
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On the offensive side, center field has been problematic. The center field platoon between Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas has struggled at the plate, combining for a .605 OPS. Meanwhile, the Phillies signed outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year, $10 million deal hoping for a bounceback season, but he is hitting just .221 with a 99 OPS+ and nine home runs in left field.
If the Phillies want to win their first World Series since 2008, they need to improve both areas. To do so, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, former general manager of the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, believes the Phillies should reach out to the Baltimore Orioles to make a deal — pitcher Mick Abel for reliever Felix Bautista and center fielder Cedric Mullins.
Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
“The Phillies’ two biggest needs are closer and center field, and this scenario would hit both in one swap, even though it would come at a significant price,” notes Bowden. “Bautista is one of the premier closers in baseball and is under team control through 2027. Mullins is an elite defensive center fielder who hits homers and steals bases, but he will be a free agent at season’s end. Bautista has logged a 3.04 ERA, 14 saves, and 31 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings in his first season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. Mullins is batting .233/.319/.450 with 11 homers and eight stolen bases.”
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Sending Abel to Baltimore would fill one of their biggest needs — controllable young pitching. Abel, a first-round draft pick by the Phillies in 2020, made his MLB debut last month against the Pittsburgh Pirates, outdueling ace Paul Skenes.
In four starts, Abel has posted a 2.21 ERA across 20 1/3 innings with 17 strikeouts, four walks, and a 4.05 FIP.
The trade would give Philadelphia immediate help in two key areas, though trading Abel means giving up a promising young arm. While Bautista is under control through 2027, Mullins would only be a rental as he becomes a free agent after the season.
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