Phillies Understandably Seen as a Desperate Team With MLB Trade Deadline Near

Should the Philadelphia Phillies be seen as a desperate team?

May 16, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski in the dugout before the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Phillies at PNC Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It has been a terrible start to the second half of the campaign for the Philadelphia Phillies, who, after a loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, are now just five games over the .500 mark. Getting a day off on Thursday is needed, but this is a team in need of some help. 

So far in the second half of the season, things have once again spiraled out of control for Philadelphia. Since the All-Star break, the team has now lost all four of their series, and there is plenty of reason to be concerned about how the team is playing. 

Philadelphia is just 3-9 during this stretch, and the Atlanta Braves have been able to create some serious space once again in the National League East. Now, with the trade deadline just a couple of days away, the Phillies need to get aggressive and make some additions. 

Bryce Harper has taken a little bit of heat for publicly speaking about this team needing help, but the All-Star first baseman is certainly right that they do. 

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about some of the most desperate teams at the trade deadline. One of the teams mentioned was the Phillies, who have really struggled in the second half. 

Title Window Won’t Be Open Forever

Jul 27, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) stands on the field against the Miami Marlins during the ninth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With this being a veteran group for Philadelphia, the time for them to win is now. The Phillies still have some of the best talent in the league, but this is a roster that is certainly top-heavy. 

When looking at areas to upgrade, there are a few notable spots. In the lineup, adding at least one more bat, preferably from the right side of the plate, would be ideal. Even though they have some big names, this is a unit that sometimes really falls flat in terms of production. 

Furthermore, in the starting rotation, the backend of the unit has been terrible. The star trio of Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, and Jesus Luzardo has been excellent, but Philadelphia is well below .500 when other pitchers start.

Also, arguably the most important spot for them to improve will be the bullpen. They lost a high-leverage arm in Brad Keller to a UCL tear, ending his season and likely keeping him out for a majority of next year as well. Furthermore, the performance of left-handers for the bullpen has also not been good. 

Overall, with multiple needs, the Phillies are going to be a busy team in the coming days, and if they are going to be a true contender, multiple moves will need to be made.