Few teams are under more pressure to deliver results at the MLB trade deadline than the Philadelphia Phillies. This team is clearly made of the right stuff — it always has been — but president Dave Dombrowski needs to embrace his roots as a go-for-broke, all-in winner. The Phillies are approaching a critical inflection point as money comes off the books and veterans age out of their prime. The desire to maintain youth and flexibility is understandable, but Philly needs to get better right now. This World Series window won't stay open forever.
Kyle Schwarber is enjoying a career year ahead of free agency in a few months. Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola are all well into their 30s. Same for Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto, neither of whom have many quality seasons left in the tank. There is urgency to maximize this core and win while there's still a chance.
ESPN's David Schoenfield recently laid out what he termed the "perfect deadline" for the Phillies. He lists three additions to elevate Philadelphia from a serious contender into division champs and potential pennant favorites: RHP Jhoan Durán and IF/OF Willi Castro from the Minnesota Twins and OF/1B Ryan O'Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles.
Let's break down the cost of such a substantial roster upgrade.
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This Phillies-Twins trade delivers Jhoan Durán, Willi Castro to Philadelphia
The Phillies strike gold here with Minnesota on the verge of financial crisis. Jhoan Durán has separated himself as a premier bullpen weapon and he's under team control through 2027 at friendly arbitration rates. He has a 1.90 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 47.1 innings pitched this season, racking up 16 saves for the Twins.
Philly's bullpen needs are well documented. Beyond Orion Kerkering and José Alvarado, who is ineligible for the playoffs after a PED suspension, the Phils are preciously short on dependable late-relief arms. Matt Strahm has regressed from last season's All-Star heights and the Jordan Romano signing was a big fat dud for Dombrowski and company. Durán gives Philadelphia its lights-out ace to finish games out of the 'pen.
Willi Castro is enjoying a solid season in his own right, slashing .254/.344/.425 with 10 home runs and doing a little bit of everything in the field. He can replace the struggling Bryson Stott at second base, take a few games at shortstop to spell Trea Turner or slot into Max Kepler's spot in left field. Castro has a higher OPS than Kepler against righties and lefties, but he's especially dominant versus southpaws. He can also bump Johan Rojas out of the centerfield platoon with Brandon Marsh if the Phillies are willing to take a hit defensively.
Minnesota gets a few intriguing long-term prospects in return. Moisés Chace, a 22-year-old fireballer who arrived in Philly's system as part of the Gregory Soto trade last season, could be in the Twins rotation within a couple years. Shortstop Bryan Rincon, 21, is an excellent contact hitter with strong fielding chops in the middle of the infield. The Phils aren't short on middle infield depth, but Minnesota gives him a clearer path to MLB. Last but not least, 22-year-old righty Wen-Hui Pan throws nasty heat and projects as a potential bullpen option long term.
This Phillies-Orioles trade delivers Ryan O'Hearn to Philadelphia
The Orioles are expected to punt on a lost season and trade the expiring contract of All-Star starter Ryan O'Hearn, who has spent the majority of his time in the DH role this season. Obviously the Phillies won't need O'Hearn at DH, so he would presumably take over reps in left field, replacing the ice-cold Max Kepler. There are valid defensive concerns here, but the 32-year-old is a substantial power threat. He has an .824 OPS and 12 home runs through 298 at-bats this season.
Philadelphia desperately needs to generate more slugging behind Schwarber and Harper in the lineup. O'Hearn slots in as a potential cleanup hitter who can mash righties. He struggles against lefties, which is not ideal for a Phillies lineup where that problem is commonplace, but as an affordable rental, O'Hearn is more than talented enough to justify the investment.
Baltimore receives a couple solid prospects, including 26-year-old Seth Johnson, who has seven appearances and 9.0 innings under his belt with the big-league squad this season. Johnson actually arrived in Philly as part of the Gregory Soto deal last summer, so there's built-in organizational familiarity. He can earn immediate reps in the O's bullpen with a chance to graduate to starting duties eventually.
John Spikerman, a 22-year-old outfielder out of Oklahoma, offers elite speed and excellent bat-to-ball skills. He won't provide much slugging, but if he can get on base and put pressure on opposing pitchers, there is value in a switch hitter with excellent defensive range in the outfield.