The Philadelphia Phillies are looking to make additions to the team and may have a new trade partner. With the trade deadline right around the corner for Major League Baseball, one team has announced their (seemingly annual) going out of business sale. Save for a few players, it would appear that the Detroit Tigers, yes, the entire team, are on the trade block. Will General Manager Dave Dombrowski make a call to his old team in hopes of landing a player or two? Before that, it’s important to ask if the Detroit Tigers (39-58) even have any players who should interest Philadelphia.
The answer shockingly is yes. Despite their difficult season, the Tigers do have some players of value. This is even after assuming that young stars Spencer Torkelson and Robbie Greene are among the few off-limits players. The key is that just about every player worth trading for in Detroit is a pitcher; however, that works to Philadelphia’s advantage.
As badly as the Phillies could use a bat at the moment or a defensive upgrade, they need to improve their pitching staff even more. First and foremost, the team is in desperate need of at least one quality starting pitcher. Unfortunately, it’s not even as simple as needing an innings eater as between Ranger Suarez and Kyle Gibson; the team is already covered in that area.
The Philadelphia Phillies need to address their pitching situation at the trade deadline, and the Detroit Tigers might be the perfect trade partner.
While the Phillies may have finally figured out their closer situation, the bullpen could still use some rounding out. Jeurys Familia and Jose Alvarado have struggled mightily this season, but there’s little Interim Manager Rob Thomson can do as there just isn’t another option. At least, not in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Phillies target No. 3: RHP Joe Jimenez
Joe Jimenez is not a household name, especially not to Philadelphia Phillies fans; one may even be surprised to find out that the 27-year-old is a former All-Star. While he’s not the most well-known reliever, he will be one of the more popular relievers in the trade market. Jimenez’s career so far has been a story of peaks and valleys, but this season, he’s been highly efficient, to say the least.
In 2022, Jimenez has pitched his way to a solid 3.13 Earned Run Average, and his strikeout to walk ratio (6.13) is among the best in all of baseball. The six-year vet boasts some solid swing and miss ability and would be a tremendous addition to the Phillies bullpen, not just in 2022 but in 2023 as well.
He has one more year of team control as he is arbitration eligible for next season. There’s an obvious risk that he could regress yet again, but that risk could certainly be worth the reward base on how well he’s pitched this season.
The Detroit Tigers’ bullpen is shockingly one of the best in baseball. Whether it’s Joe Jimenez or another reliever, say, Andrew Chafin, the Philadelphia Phillies will have plenty of targets at the deadline out of Detroit.
Philadelphia Phillies target No. 2: LHP Andrew Chafin
Speaking of Andrew Chafin, if the Philadelphia Phillies are targeting a bullpen arm from the Tigers, he’s likely the top name on the board. Chafin would come into Philadelphia and immediately become one of the club’s top relievers from the get-go. The nine-year veteran has picked up right where he left off last year with a 2.61 ERA.
The lefty has pitched 30.2 innings in 36 games so far this season for Detroit. He’s been solid against left-handed bats, but he’s been incredibly strong against righties. Right-handed bats are slashing a lowly .200/.229/.262 against Chafin this season.
Chafin is in the first year of a two-year $13 million contract; however, the second year of that deal features an opt-out clause, meaning that he could leave Philadelphia after the season should he decide so. With the season he’s been having so far, it’s likely that he would do so as he would be in line to receive a raise.
That opt-out clause does add a small bit of risk; however, the potential reward that Chafin would bring could prove too tantalizing for Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies to deny. Chafin is the top reliever that Philadelphia could add from the Detroit Tigers, but there is one player who is both more highly sought after and plays a position of greater need.
Philadelphia Phillies target No. 1: LHP Tarik Skubal
It is clear as crystal. The Philadelphia Phillies’ greatest need at the trade deadline is the need to improve their starting rotation. While many expected the Tigers to once again have their annual fire sale, Tarik Skubal was not expected to be on the list of available players. After all, it’s not often that talented 25-year-old starters become available, especially when they come with four more years of team control.
The Tigers absolutely do not have to trade away Skubal, meaning that the asking price could prove to be relatively high; however, Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies should still be interested in getting a deal done. While Dombrowski recently spoke and expressed that the team will not likely be targeting the top-end players on the trade block, Tarik Skubal should be an exception.
It’s one thing to not want to move a top prospect for a rental or for an aging player, but Skubal is a rising player who is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. This season, Skubal has posted an ERA of 3.88 to go along with 111 strikeouts in 106.2 innings of work. He’s slight command issues this season, but that’s not uncommon among young pitchers.
Tarik Skubal would be by far the most expensive option, but he’s also clearly the best. Expect the Phillies to hold discussions with the Tigers around multiple players, even if those talks don’t pan out.