Former MLB Executive Reveals His Favorite Trade Target for Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are one of the teams that look to be surefire buyers ahead of the trade deadline next month.

With a record of 39-29 entering play on June 13, they are currently trailing the New York Mets by 5.5 games in the National League East.

To catch them, or at the very least remain in the Wild Card race, they should be on the lookout for a few upgrades.

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Their lineup has been painfully inconsistent despite some very high-priced players being part of it.

The outfield needs a lot of help, especially center field, with the players on pace to make some brutal franchise history. Bryson Stott has been disappointing at second base as well.

Finding some help for the lineup is certainly on the team’s to-do list, but is it the No. 1 priority for the front office ahead of the trade deadline?

In the opinion of Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required), the biggest need for the Phillies is a high-leverage relief pitcher.

It is hard to argue against that, as the bullpen, which was a strength in 2024, has been frustratingly inconsistent in 2025.

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The offseason losses of Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez have been difficult to overcome. On top of that, the team is now without closer Jose Alvarado, who received an 80-game suspension and is ineligible for the postseason should they qualify.

There should be several options for the team to sift through, but who would be the best fit?

In Bowden’s opinion, his favorite target for the Phillies is Baltimore Orioles’ flamethrower, Felix Bautista.

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“If the Orioles don’t get back in the race, Bautista could be the Phillies’ best option to take over the ninth inning. Bautista is under team control through 2027 and has a 3.32 ERA and 12 saves this season. He has not allowed a run in six of his past seven appearances and appears to be making progress in getting closer to his pre-Tommy John surgery form,” the former MLB executive wrote.

Acquiring a player of Bautista’s caliber would solve multiple problems Philadelphia currently has with its bullpen.

The most important is that he dominates against left-handed hitters as much as he does against right-handed ones.

That is a huge issue for the Phillies right now, who lack any right-handed options who can consistently get lefties out. Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks cannot pitch against every left-handed batter, leaving Rob Thomson scrambling for answers.

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Despite still knocking off the rust in his return from Tommy John surgery, Bautista has allowed an OPS of .598 against lefties and .612 against righties.

If he is added to the mix, it would also make it a lot easier to move on from Alvarado in the offseason, whose contract has a team option for $9 million with a $500,000 buyout.

Knowing they would have a lights-out closer under contract for three postseason runs would solve a potential long-term issue.

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