Philadelphia Phillies: 3 ways Dave Dombrowski can win the trade deadline
By Tim Boyle
The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t had any good trade deadline moves in recent years. Was Wilson Ramos the only truly good addition they made back in 2018? Even his brief time with the club was forgettable as they never did anything during his short time in Philly.
We haven’t seen this team make it to the postseason since 2011. It feels a lot longer considering how awesome the years 2007-2011 were. The drought is a painful one. A big reason why the hump has grown is with all of the misses the team has had at the trade deadline.
To change this, the Phillies need to attempt to be a trade deadline winner. Accomplishing this will give them a great chance to make it into the postseason and have a chance to go far. What can they do to have the authority to raise their arms in “V” at 6:01pm on August 2?
1) The Phillies can win the trade deadline by acquiring the right starting pitcher
Luis Castillo? Frankie Montas? Another controllable young arm? They just aren’t so realistic for the Phillies. Guys like Nathan Eovaldi or Jose Quintana are far more logical for what the Phillies can and seem willing to offer.
Dave Dombrowski doesn’t need to make a huge splash in the waters when adding a starting pitcher. They don’t need a Cliff Lee. They need a Joe Blanton—the 2008 version.
Zach Eflin’s injury has made the need for a starting pitcher addition even greater for Philadelphia. Even if he does return, he or Ranger Suarez could end up as a candidate to move to the bullpen and bolster that further.
Starting pitching is one of the most important aspects of baseball and cannot be ignored. Without it, your team has zero chance of doing a thing.