Philadelphia Phillies Linked to White Sox Starter at Trade Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies have won eight of their last 10 games, are four games over .500 and have made up ground in the National League Wild Card race, as they’re just one game out of the final spot heading into Tuesday’s game.

So, will the Phillies be buyers at the trade deadline? And, if so, who’s the right fit?

Well, MLB.com put together a list of 10 players that are on the rise entering the ramp-up to the trade deadline and linked Chicago White Sox starter Lucas Giolito to the Phillies as a potential trade target.

The White Sox are 31-43 entering Tuesday’s game with the Texas Rangers and while they’re only 5.5 games out of the AL Central lead, they’ve lost seven of their last 10 games. In spite of the division’s mediocrity, Chicago is playing its way out of the hunt.

The White Sox do have quality starting pitching in Giolito, Dylan Cease and Lance Lynn. All could be trade targets. But MLB.com likes Giolito the best for the Phillies:

Giolito has pitched to a 3.14 ERA in nine starts since the beginning of May, including a 1.50 ERA in his first three June outings. … They will have some difficult decisions to make … Giolito will be a free agent at the end of the season, making it a near certainty that he will be wearing a new uniform by August.

The long-time White Sox hurler is 5-4 with a 3.54 ERA this season. He’s struck out 89 and walked 28. He would give the Phillies a consistent starter for the final two months as they to make a push for a Wild Card berth, which looks far more attainable than it did a month ago.

But the Phillies will surely have competition. Among the other teams linked to Giolito are the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

More From SI's Inside The Phillies: