Ranking Most Likely Phillies Trade Deadline Targets Listed by Former MLB Executive

The Philadelphia Phillies are going to be buyers ahead of the trade deadline to give themselves the best possible change of winning the World Series championship that has eluded this star-studded group during this window.

Just about everyone knows what positions they are going to target; bullpen and outfield.

However, Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) believes relievers are the Phillies' biggest need, and that probably is the case despite their outfield still being a below average unit overall.

The former MLB executive put together a list of possible targets Philadelphia might pursue before the July 31 deadline, and below, I have ranked that list in the order I believe to be the most likely.

6. Mason Miller - Athletics

What would it take to land one of the most coveted arms in the sport?

Probably much more than the Phillies are willing to give up.

Dave Dombrowski has already said their top two prospects of Andrew Painter and Aidan Miller are untouchable, and Justin Crawford could also find himself in that category if he's called up at some point this summer.

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This would be a dream acquisition, but it's a dream for a reason.

5. Felix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles

Even thinking about the 2023 AL Mariano Rivera Reliever of the Year winner being available would have been laughable just a few months ago, but that's how bad things have gotten for the Baltimore Orioles.

I don't believe the Orioles are actually going to put him on the trade block considering he's finding his past form coming off Tommy John surgery and has two years of club control remaining.

Philadelphia and Baltimore have done deadline deals in the past, so perhaps that could allow something to get worked out, but I think the asking price is going to be too high for the Phillies.

4. David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates

This is an interesting name to consider.

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The Pittsburgh Pirates appear like they are going to be super active selling off pieces this summer, with reports stating they are willing to listen to offers on just about everyone on their roster.

Bednar would be a great addition to the back-end of Philadelphia's bullpen, with him posting three straight seasons with an ERA under 3.00 from 2021-23 while leading the NL in saves during the last year of that stretch.

He's also putting together a bounce back season in 2025 with a 3.42 ERA across his 27 outings compared to what he did the year prior.

Bednar is only at No. 4 on this list because he has one more season of club control remaining, likely making his asking price higher than the other three.

3. Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals

The Phillies might be kicking themselves a bit for not pursuing Finnegan in free agency.

While the second half of last year left much to be desired and ultimately caused the Washington Nationals to non-tender him a contract before they reunited, he has been remarkable so far this season with a 2.16 ERA through 25 outings that has reminded everyone of the consistent reliever he has been throughout his career without a single campaign in his six-year career being above the 4.00 ERA mark.

What makes this tricky is the divisional angle, but since the Nationals are going to sell and he is a free agent at the end of the campaign, perhaps something reasonable could be worked out.

2. Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox

Entering 2025, the Boston Red Sox weren't even thinking about being sellers. However, circumstances have changed with them owning a 36-36 record entering Sunday.

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There is still time for them to get hot and hold onto assets before the deadline, but if they do decide to sell, then the veteran flamethrower could be someone the Phillies pursue as a direct replacement for the suspended Jose Alvarado.

1. Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels

The numbers might not look great for the future Hall of Famer on paper with a 4.37 ERA, but he has still been lights out in save situations, going a perfect 14-for-14 when shutting the door.

Jansen has been linked to Philadelphia on numerous occasions, and it wouldn't surprise me if this is finally the year that he gets brought on board.

Add in the fact that he's a rental and the Phillies and Los Angeles Angels are very familiar with doing business together, and this deal is the most likely one that could get done out of this list put together by Bowden.

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