Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies, MLB Rumors (Photo by Casey Sykes/Getty Images)
MLB Rumors: Who could the Phillies trade?
At 26-31 on the season, the Philadelphia Phillies enter a critical stretch as their front office decides who to trade, and who to hang on to for a possible stretch run. The NL East is no division for cupcakes, and that’s exactly what the Phillies have played like so far this year.
Aaron Nola, the team’s ace, is likely the most intriguing trade target of opposing teams. Nola is in the final year of his deal and would be acquired as a rental. He’s still expensive, however, given he can lead just about any rotation to a pennant, if not more. Nola’s had a down season by his standards, but with a fresh start, who knows what he’s capable of?
Beyond Nola, however, the Phillies could trade any number of players, including Seranthony Dominguez and Craig Kimbrel, per That Ball’s Outta Here’s Justin DiVirgilio. Kimbrel, while having an up-and-down season, still offers a lot to a contender, per DiVirgilio:
“Kimbrel has looked revived in certain aspects. His fastball has somewhat returned to the form of his prime with a high velocity, movement, and break on the pitch. The fastball being reinvigorated makes his funky slider that drops off the table harder to hit. It would make sense for the Phillies to take what they can get in a trade for an expiring contract who is a reliever with closer experience in the postseason.”
As for Dominguez, that would serve as a more devastating loss for the organization. Dominguez is also under club control through the 2024 and 2025 seasons, making it all the more unlikely that the Phillies feel inclined to trade him now.
Nola, as well as Kimbrel, are assets the Phillies should use to repair their farm system if they fail to improve prior to the deadline.