The Phillies Just Signaled Their Trade Deadline Intentions

The Philadelphia Phillies have likely signaled what their trade deadline intentions are going to be.

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. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It has not been a good start to the second half of the season for the Philadelphia Phillies, who have lost all three series so far. Now, with the trade deadline approaching, it is clear that they need to improve. 

Coming off what ended up being a strong first half of the campaign, the Phillies have really faltered since the All-Star break. Losing a series to the struggling New York Mets at home before hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees was far from ideal, and things have spiraled a bit. 

On a nine-game homestand, the team has a record of 3-6, which feels like a massive letdown. Philadelphia has struggled against good opponents this year, and that was proven to be true this past week. 

Both the Dodgers and the Yankees were able to come into Citizens Bank Park and earn impressive victories. Now, what the ceiling is for Philadelphia is a bit uncertain. With just under a week to go before the MLB trade deadline, it is becoming clear what the Phillies must do. 

Phillies Have Multiple Needs to Address

Jul 25, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) reacts in front of Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) as he crosses home plate on a home run during the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, there is no shortage of needs for Philadelphia right now. This is a team that is going to likely have to make multiple moves, and they certainly should be looking to be aggressive. 

In the starting rotation, the backend of the unit has been extremely poor. The team has been punting this spot in the rotation seemingly for over two months now, and it is something that needs to be addressed. 

Fortunately, they should be able to add a veteran for a reasonable price to address that need. Also, for the pitching staff, adding at least one relief pitcher is arguably going to be the top priority for the team. 

This is a bullpen that is going to be without Brad Keller for the rest of the year and hasn’t received good production from their southpaws. Getting a high-leverage option along with a left-hander would make a lot of sense to improve this unit. 

Furthermore, as shown by the first couple of games against the New York Yankees on offense, the team could still use another bat to help solidify the lineup. 

Overall, a lot of work needs to be done for the Phillies, but even without the best farm system, there is reason to believe that they should be able to make some improvements.