Some times, we like to hear from the readers and see what’s on their minds. They have questions, we attempt to find answers – maybe in the data, maybe in the opinions. All we remember, though, are the friends we made along the way.

So, in the words of Rafiki, “It is time…”

For a mailbag! Thanks for all of the contributions made.

On a scale from 1 to Patrick Corbin, how worried should we be about Nola?

— David Palardy (@SomaDaydream) June 3, 2025

Well, I tend to run on track record when it comes to worrying about veteran pitchers. While Nola does have a lot of mileage on his arm, he is still only 32 years old, so I’m not sure that a sharp decline has arrived. However, to deny that there are worries about Nola is to deny reality.

Quite literally, everything has been worse for Nola this year. Walk rate? Worse. Home run rate? Worse. Barrel rate? Hard hit rate? Chase rate? Worse, worse, worse. It’s just been an all around bad year for him, but there are a least a few glimmers of hope, even if you have to strain to find them. In the four starts prior to the one that landed him on the injured list, he was starting to look like the Nola of old (21 1⁄3 IP, 9 R, 6 BB, 25 K), giving some comfort that maybe the beginning of the season was a slow start. His start against the Cardinals where he got blasted for nine runs in 3 1⁄3 innings, he admitted that he was hurt, necessitating a trip to the injured list. It may have allowed him some time to reset mentally and physically in preparation for the rest of the season, but until he is back on the mound, we simply won’t know.

So if we’re looking to use the scale given by the question, I’m probably halfway between 1 and Corbin – I don’t think he’s cooked, but there are some troubling things I need confidence in that he is going to reverse when he returns.

Which reliever out there should the Phillies realistically be targeting?

— Mike Wenderlich (@m_wenderlich) June 3, 2025

Man, how much time do you have?

When it comes to the trade market for relievers, if that player is available, the Phillies should inquire. It doesn’t really matter who it is; they should be asking what the return would have to be. Without knowing who is truly a seller just yet, we can kind of formulate a list of names that might be interesting, but we’ll never know who is truly truly available.

Instead, I’ll give you list of pitchers I think the team should be most in on.

Aroldis Chapman – could be that left handed closer type that they’ll need in the playoffs. If the Red Sox are sellers, he might be the best RP option on the market. Does that make the cost to acquire him prohibitive?

Felix Bautista – the remaining years of team control means you might to have to part with something that would sting, but you’d also have him for a few years. He’s not quite back from his surgery, but he’s not far off.

Peter Fairbanks – this was already speculated on by national writers and Tampa Bay is smart enough to deal guys even if they are close to a wild card, so this could be a nice option.

Again, until the sellers make themselves known clearly, we can’t really know who is available. These are just the names I am most interested in. Remember, when it comes to acquiring relievers, the Phillies operate like others: can that pitcher throw leveraged innings in the playoffs? If not, he’s probably not worth parting with prospects for.

“With [A]bel getting a second good start and [P]ainter coming, do we trade [S]uarez for some of the help we need? If not who on the mlb roster gets shipped out?” – Pauljcasey, via BlueSky

The great myth that is starting pitching depth can creep into people’s minds when looking at depth charts. We’ve all done it; I’m as guilty as the next person of believing that depth can and should be used to help strengthen other areas. To believe that one has depth at the starting pitching position would be foolhardy. The minute that idea starts to solidify in your mind is the minute something goes awry.

Yes, the Phillies have multiple pitchers capable pitching high quality major league innings.

Yes, they have a prospect that they feel like shoehorning into the rotation once the All-Star festivities are complete.

Yes, they could theoretically trade from that position to help other position.

To do so would be a massive mistake, particularly as it pertains to Ranger Suarez.

Now, if the team is going to subtract someone from the major league roster as it currently is, I could see them eating the contract of Max Kepler and getting an upgrade in left field, if such an upgrade exists. I truly believe they are fine with what Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas are giving them in center field (even if….eh), so if there is could be a trade, maybe it would be for a left fielder?

But trading a starting pitcher? Wouldn’t count on it.

“My big questions are about pitching and can only be answered by the Phillies over the next month. However, if all the Phillies free agents walk after this year, is 2026 likely to be a ‘retool year’? Position-by-position…” – KP, via BlueSky

So long as Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler are signed, sealed and delivered with contracts, there will be no retooling for the Phillies.

“are there answers for this offense beyond ‘let’s hope they hit like they did last year’? are any of the AAA guys even good enough to make more of an impact than 2023 Johan Rojas (which was, let’s say, not enough)? [this is probably a playoff team on pitching alone; the bats will matter more later]” – hypotheticals, via BlueSky

If we’re talking about those in AAA Lehigh Valley that could make an impact this year, my guess is that if they could, they would have been called up already.

If you’re referring to the outfield, that is.

This, of course, leads into discussion about Justin Crawford and the question of whether or not he should be (or should have already been) called up to the major leagues to help patch some holes in said outfield. Or we could talk about moving on from Weston Wilson and giving Otto Kemp a shot, but the rest of the offense in Lehigh Valley just doesn’t look like it has anyone that would be an upgrade over what the Phillies already have. Being creative on the fly is a really tough trick to pull off when it comes to roster machinations. That’s usually a job for the offseason when more teams are looking to make moves. It can be done (I see you, 2021 Braves), so maybe the Phillies will be able to do so as well.

I just don’t see it from within.