Philadelphia Phillies Should PursueTrade For AL Standout Amid Alvarado Suspension

The Philadelphia Phillies don't necessarily have to trade for a reliever to bolster the bullpen.

Mar 2, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Davis Martin against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With Mick Abel's historic debut after getting called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Rob Thompson and the Philadelphia Phillies know that they have an emergency starter on deck if needed.

But with Jose Alvarado's suspension, there's a gap in the bullpen to fill. While Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm, and Orion Kerkering can hold their run own, the Phillies will need all the help and depth they can get to stay competitive for the National League East.

There's plenty of relievers out on the market, but Philadelphia could have the wiggle room to take a starter on a bad team and convert them to a bullpen arm.

Davis Martin is a 28-year-old starter for the Chicago White Sox. He has a solid 3.49 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 36 strikeouts and 56.2 innings.

Chicago White Sox pitcher Davis Martin throwing a baseball in a white pinstripe uniform. — May 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Davis Martin (65) delivers a pitch against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Rate Field. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Martin is a ground ball pitcher at heart. According to Baseball Savant, his GB% is in the 74th percentile, while his BB% rate is in the 84th percentile. Situationally, this could make him an ideal candidate for one-out or two-out jams with someone on first base.

He has below average velocity on every pitch he throws except for his cutter. Being used for shorter spurts could allow him to increased his velocity on the cutter even more while having the room to tick up his fast ball. Both could be great compliments while he still uses his change up and slider to get the ground balls that have allowed him to have such a successful season.

The Phillies' bullpen ranks eighth in strikeouts per nine innings. They don't necessarily need another zone-pounder. Bringing Martin in to complement the infrastructure they already have could give Thompson and company another to throw at batters when in a jam.

The White Sox could already be on the move to sell guys off, so a phone call from Philadelphia could get a deal like this done relatively soon.