Philadelphia Phillies: 3 reasons to feel good after the trade deadline
By Tim Boyle
The Philadelphia Phillies didn’t add a Hunter Pence, a Cliff Lee, or a Roy Oswalt at this year’s MLB trade deadline. However, the additions they did make were pretty good.
No, they didn’t get Michael A. Taylor to play center field. They didn’t surprise us all and get into the sweepstakes for any young and controllable starter. The bullpen only has one new arm in it.
Those moves, and a few other things happening with this organization right now, should give fans plenty of reason to smile in August.
1. The Phillies added everything they had to at the MLB trade deadline
Noah Syndergaard, David Robertson, and Brandon Marsh give the Phillies some cement mix to fix three of their roster’s biggest needs. Syndergaard will take over in a rotation in desperate need of an upgrade. Robertson adds yet another relief pitcher with closer experience to the mix. Finally, there’s Marsh who will give them a young and controllable center fielder they can only hope grows into a quality everyday player.
These moves might not have caught as many headlines as the ones a team like the San Diego Padres made. Winning the headlines was never the goal. Winning the World Series is the aim.
Phillies fans should feel satisfied after the trade deadline. Syndergaard is playoff tested. As a number three or four guy in a rotation with two other guys we’re hoping fall into that category, it’s a strong addition.
The rotation got better this week. So did the bullpen. Center field has improved with a long-term option. They may have lost on the night of the MLB trade deadline. But a nice come-from-behind win the day after thanks to a Nick Castellanos bomb should have Phillies fans forgetting the woes from the day before.