The Philadelphia Phillies desperately need bullpen help, but are well-stocked elsewhere. The starting rotation is probably the best in MLB at full strength. With five more-or-less All-Star caliber starters in the mix, Philly has Mick Abel tearing through the minors (and slated for his second MLB start tomorrow), as well as Taijuan Walker dramatically outperforming expectations as a pinch starter when called upon.
And that's all before you get to Andrew Painter, MLB Pipeline's No. 5 prospect and the second-best pitching prospect in baseball. Painter spent last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but the hard-throwing righty is expected to crack the big-league roster sometime around the All-Star break. His velocity has spiked nicely during an extended minor league ramp-up and Painter's stuff moves as violently as ever. He could be the next ace in the hole, so to speak, for Philadelphia.
With so much veteran depth in the rotation, however, one can't help but wonder what Philly can get on the trade market. Especially if the Phillies are confident in Abel, who has revived his reputation in 2025. Painter, 22, would immediately qualify as the best young pitchers to hit the trade block in recent years. Any team with a need in the rotation would be wise to throw the kitchen sink at Philadelphia, who is in search of win-now talent.
Phillies can dial up Blue Jays for Bo Bichette trade
Even after splurging on the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension, this Toronto Blue Jays team is frustratingly... fine. There's still a path to the playoffs, but Toronto is leagues behind New York in a competitive division (and an even more competitive American League). It's clear Bo Bichette won't sign an extension, so he's a free agent in a few months.
In reality, the Phillies aren't going to trade Painter for a rental. Philadelphia has the resources to extend Bichette, but free agency is never a sure bet. There's a good chance the Phillies would ask for value on top of Bichette, Toronto's second-best player, in what could quickly complicate negotiations. That said, as a foundational piece, Bichette meaningfully improves Philly's outlook in the NL postseason race.
Trea Turner currently occupies shortstop for the Phillies, but he's becoming more error-prone with each passing year. Moving him to centerfield is long overdue, whether he "wants" to or not. That would improve a meek Phillies outfield while keeping the infield well-stocked.
If the Phillies aren't keen on deplatforming Turner at shortstop, Bichette can slide to second base while Bryson Stott and Edmundo Sosa split time at third base. That frees up Alec Bohm for a separate trade, although Bohm may be a more believable centerpiece in the Bichette trade. After a homerless couple months to begin the season, Bichette rocketed seven moonshots in May. He's starting to slug more and the swing looks awfully similar to what we saw during his All-Star campaign in 2023. His addition would go a long way toward stabilizing an elite lineup.
2. Phillies should float Andrew Painter to A's for young sluggers
The Athletics are enjoying a solid offensive campaign from their wealth of young talent, but the pitching staff is the worst in MLB. From the rotation through the bullpen, this A's team just cannot protect leads. Adding one of the brightest up-and-coming arms in baseball — with a long window of team control in front of him at 22 — would make sense for a franchise limited in terms of its financial resources.
Whom can the Phillies get in return? Well, names like Lawrence Butler and Tyler Soderstrom come to mind. The A's are absent bonafide stars in the lineup, with the possible exception of Brent Rooker, but adding power-hitting outfielders in their early to mid-20s is a solid gamble. Butler has thrived in the leadoff spot for the A's. Soderstrom has 12 home runs on the season and he's flexible positionally, with reps under his belt at catcher, first base and in the outfield. That ability to move him around the diamond could help a veteran Phillies roster survive a grueling regular season gauntlet.
Can Philadelphia realistically poach Butler and Soderstrom, the Athletics' best young hitters right now? Maybe not, but even getting a long-term outfield staple and additional prospect depth might be worth a phone call. The A's aren't really in a position to buy at the trade deadline, but swapping out a couple bats for a potential long-term, top-of-the-rotation ace is a swing worth considering a few years out from their move to Las Vegas.
1. Phillies can send Andrew Painter to Boston for disgruntled Rafael Devers
This feels like the biggest swing and the most realistic value for a prospect of Painter's caliber. The Boston Red Sox are struggling. Rafael Devers has not been the reason for those struggles — he's got a hearty .918 OPS with 12 home runs — but he has been at the center of controversy nonetheless, all stemming from his unique positional status.
Devers was a career-long third baseman up until this season, when Alex Bregman's arrival pushed him to the DH slot against his will. After initially rejecting the idea of DHing, Devers made nice with his coaches and accepted the change. Then, when asked if he would put the glove back on to cover for an injured Triston Casas at first base, Devers flatly rejected the notion, claiming that Boston already made him leave the infield.
While Devers' production is smoothing over negative feelings in the fanbase, there is palpable tension with the front office. Boston is under no pressure to rush the 28-year-old out the door, as he's under contract through 2033, but now might be a good time to cut bait on a negative defender with a hefty salary number through his age-36 season. The Phillies stomach major long-term commitments better than most franchises, and there's an open slot at third base if Philadelphia decides to reroute Alec Bohm, which could return Devers to his position of choice.
Philadelphia's defense is already a bit shaky without Devers, but his bat negates any real concern. Plugging him into the heart of the lineup behind Trea Turner and Bryce Harper would instantly transform the Phillies into the most potent and explosive offense east of Los Angeles. It's an appealing thought.