Although there aren’t many gaps in the Philadelphia Phillies’ roster, Dave Dombrowski has demonstrated in the past that he is never satisfied. He will go above and beyond to ensure that the Phillies can improve if there is a method to do so.
As July approaches, there are two possible avenues for improvement. Expectations include an outfielder with a respectable bat speed, and it’s always a good idea to add a few arms to the bullpen.
Other than that, Philadelphia doesn’t have much on its plate.
With a 3.43 ERA and 1.21 WHIP as a unit, their bullpen has performed better than average for the majority of the season.
Both of those are among the top nine in Major League Baseball.
But there’s never enough arms for a competing squad.
They might not include a bullpen arm if they were to make a blockbuster trade. They have expressed interest in Luis Robert Jr., which would probably destroy the farm system, though it’s unclear what their precise objectives are.
Though they might be reluctant to if they land Robert, that doesn’t mean they can’t go out and add another arm.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com connected them to a standout closer who isn’t getting enough attention in case they manage to acquire a reliever.
Right-hander Kirby Yates was one of Feinsand’s 16 trade candidates. “Potential fits” was how he described the Phillies.
With a 0.92 ERA and 11 saves in his first 29 games, Yates’ one-year, $4.5 million contract is working out brilliantly for the Rangers. In eight June appearances, Yates had a 1.13 ERA, a 14.6 K/9 rate, and struck out 13 batters in eight innings.
Yates, who ranks in the top 3 percentile in xERA, xBA, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage, and barrel percentage, could be dealt to a team in need of a bullpen before the end of the month if the Rangers are unable to regain control of the race in the coming weeks. The 37-year-old made his postseason debut with the Braves last October.
Yates struggled with injuries that limited his effectiveness as one of baseball’s best relievers. With a remarkable 0.92 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 29 1/3 innings pitched in 2024, he appears to be perfectly on schedule.
In the same time, he has also recorded an outstanding 41 strikeouts.
37-year-old bullpen pitchers are difficult to evaluate in terms of trade worth, but they will likely draw interest from other teams, making him difficult to acquire.
But considering what Philadelphia will be expecting in October, a seasoned arm with postseason experience is quite crucial.
