Former MLB Exec Shares Hypothetical Phillies Trade With Guardians Built on Mick Abel

The Philadelphia Phillies once again look like legitimate contenders in the National League for the pennant.

They are on pace to win 90+ games for the third consecutive campaign and are fighting it out with the New York Mets for first place in the division, with both teams owning identical 53-39 records.

For the Phillies to remain in that position, they have a few clear areas of need to upgrade ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

Their bullpen remains an issue, with Jordan Romano struggling to perform at the end of the games. He has fallen woefully short of expectations as the team’s main addition to help replace Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez, both of whom departed in free agency.

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In addition to their departures, Philadelphia will be without closer Jose Alvarado in the postseason, should they make it, because of the 80-game suspension he is currently serving.

Along with the bullpen, the Phillies could use some help in the outfield, where things are a little messy as well.

Brandon Marsh has turned his production around, but left field remains an underwhelming spot in the lineup.

Max Kepler hasn’t had the impact Philadelphia had hoped, starting 63 of 92 games there and five in right field.

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Dave Dombrowski is not shy about making blockbuster moves to improve the roster and could be on the lookout to do so again this year ahead of the deadline.

If he were able to upgrade the backend of the bullpen and left field in one fell swoop, he would think long and hard about pulling the trigger on a deal.

One way the Phillies could accomplish that feat is by dangling starting pitcher Mick Abel in trade negotiations.

The former top prospect made his MLB debut this year with a bang, outdueling Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes in a 1-0 Philadelphia victory.

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The only reason the Phillies should consider moving Abel is if they can improve their odds of winning the World Series this year with an impact addition.

What kind of deal would fit that bill?

Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) shared a hypothetical deal with the Cleveland Guardians that would be worth parting ways with Abel to complete.

“In other words, for example, if they could pry both Emmanuel Clase and Steven Kwan from the Guardians and Abel had to be part of the package to get the trade done, then it would make sense to deal him,” the former MLB executive wrote.

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Kwan would be a massive upgrade in left field as a table-setting, contact hitter and elite defender. He doesn’t offer much power, but an OPS+ of 114 in his career is above-average and he has won a Gold Glove Award three times.

Most importantly, he is under team control through 2027, so parting ways with a high-upside rookie is easier to stomach knowing Kwan can be in the lineup for three postseason runs.

One of the most dominant relievers in baseball the last few years, Clase has led the MLB in saves three years running with 47, 44 and 42 the last three campaigns.

He hasn’t been quite as dominant in 2025 as he was in 2024, but he remains a reliable late-game option. His splits against left and right-handed hitters are a slight concern for a bullpen that struggles to get left-handed hitters out, but Clase would be a massive upgrade at the back end of the bullpen.

Under team control through at least 2026, there is a team option for 2027 and 2028 that could keep him in town for at least three more seasons beyond 2025, making the price of Abel a fair one.

For more Phillies news, head over to Phillies On SI.