Phillies Inability To Add Starter Was Not From Lack of Trying

The Philadelphia Phillies went into the MLB trade deadline with several needs they hoped to address.

Their wish list was long, but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski did a solid job of upgrading the roster for the stretch run. Luis Arraez brings something different to the lineup with his contact-first approach, but the defensive alignment changes are concerning.

Caleb Kilian and Brooks Raley will help settle the bullpen, becoming part of the bridge to All-Star closer Jhoan Duran. Some minor league depth was shuffled around as well in deals with the Athletics and Kansas City Royals.

However, their No. 1 priority heading into the deadline was to add a starting pitcher, and they didn’t achieve that goal. As shared by Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic (subscription required), it certainly wasn’t from a lack of trying.

Phillies tried to acquire starting pitcher ahead of deadline

Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski looks on in the dugout. — May 17, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski looks on in the dugout before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

a“It is a risk the Phillies took when Monday’s trade deadline came and went without them acquiring another starter — despite seeking one in the hours leading up to the deadline, according to league sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private trade conversations,” Varnes wrote.

It takes two to tango for a trade to get completed, and the Phillies were unable to find a dance partner who was moving a starting pitcher. There were rotation arms traded ahead of the deadline, some of whom Philadelphia was connected to, such as Kevin Gausman of the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets duo Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes.

Whether it was the price being deemed too steep or the focus being on completing other deals, the Phillies were unable to add to their rotation. And it is something that could come back to bite them down the stretch of the season.

Phillies relying on Aaron Nola, Andrew Painter to step up

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola (27) throws a pitch. — Aug 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola (27) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

They are putting a lot of faith in Aaron Nola and Andrew Painter to fill the Nos. 4 and 5 spots in the rotation. Nola has looked better in his most recent starts, and Painter has improved since his stint with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

But this is a team that just recently snapped a streak that lasted over a month in which they didn’t win a game that wasn’t started by Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler or Jesus Luzardo. That kind of consistent underwhelming performance is how a team falls out of the playoff race.

Philadelphia fans can take a little bit of solace in knowing that Dombrowski was at least working the phones right to the final buzzer, attempting to bring in some starting pitching help. But not addressing what was viewed as the No. 1 priority heading into the deadline is certainly a disappointing outcome.

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