Phillies Mentioned as Potential Suitor for Red Sox Pitcher

A Boston Red Sox pitcher makes a lot of sense as a trade target for the Philadelphia Phillies.

May 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; A Boston Red Sox hat and glove sit in the dug out before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Phillies have a few clear areas of weakness on their roster that they would love to address ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

A right-handed hitter has been viewed as their No. 1 priority, specifically an outfielder. There is a major hole in right field after Adolis Garcia suffered a season-ending injury, pushing Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Derek Hill into prominent roles.

The production from right-handed hitters against left-handed pitching has been underwhelming for the Phillies this season. Dave Dombrowski will be facing some pressure to make a lineup addition, but it isn’t the only thing he will be shopping for.

It was recently shared that Philadelphia will be on the lookout for pitching help, too. During a recent appearance on ESPN, MLB insider Buster Olney revealed one player they could target: Garrett Whitlock of the Boston Red Sox.

Phillies could pursue Red Sox relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock

Jun 23, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock (22) pitches in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Olney mentioned that the Red Sox are not yet ready to waive the white flag on their season and become sellers, but the clock is ticking. They are 38-48 entering play on July 4, 14.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East standings and 5.5 games back in the Wild Card race.

Philadelphia is certainly hoping that Boston decides to become a seller because they have a few intriguing trade pieces that would help the Phillies make a push for the playoffs and make some noise in October.

Whitlock would be a major upgrade to the Philadelphia bullpen, someone who can help bridge the gap from the starting rotation to closer Jhoan Duran. Beyond Orion Kerkering, interim manager Don Mattingly hasn’t consistently found players he can rely on late in games, especially with Brad Keller on the injured list and Jose Alvarado being inconsistent.

Thus far, Whitlock has made 29 appearances, throwing 28 innings with a 2.57 ERA, 32 strikeouts and only six walks. He has a strong 2.86 FIP and 159 ERA+, turning himself into a great weapon out of the bullpen with a 0.6 bWAR.

.@Buster_ESPN says keep an eye on Sonny Gray, Aroldis Chapman, and Garrett Whitlock as players the Red Sox could move on from if/when they decide to sell.

Mentioned the Phillies as a possible fit for Whitlock, who has two club options after this year. pic.twitter.com/9DDumwsYgH

— Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) July 4, 2026

Whitlock may not be the only Red Sox pitcher whom the Phillies target. They could also make closer Aroldis Chapman available, who could address their need for a southpaw out of the bullpen.

Combining him and Duran as a lefty/righty late-game closer duo would make life much easier for Mattingly in navigating late-game and high-leverage situations.

A backend starter would seem to be the most pressing need on the mound, given the struggles of Aaron Nola and Andrew Painter, the latter of whom has already been optioned to Triple-A. But bolstering the relief corps would certainly help, especially with how the No. 5 spot in the rotation has basically been bullpen games.

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