As they say, the window is closing.
However, being aggressive before the trade deadline does not always imply free-spending, and questions have remained about Philadelphia’s willingness to tap into its prospect pool. However, in a recent piece for The Athletic, Matt Gelb reported officials from other organizations as saying that the Phillies “want to shop this July in a more expensive aisle than the rental one.”
The Phillies’ farm system helps them get talent like Emmanuel Clase and Steven Kwan.
With a farm system that USA Today ranked fourth-best in baseball entering the All-Star break, the Phillies have some appealing players to use as trade pieces.
While most pundits think that the team’s top prospect, Andrew Painter, ranked ninth among all MLB prospects, is unlikely to be traded, the co-hosts of “The Phillies Show” podcast believe that any other player in the franchise’s top 30 is available.
During the most recent episode, Todd Zolecki, Jim Salisbury, and Ruben Amaro Jr. explored the Phillies’ significant needs and the possibility of using their top-heavy prospect pool in trade negotiations. Zolecki pointed out that with the recent arrival of High-A second baseman Aroon Escobar, Philadelphia now has six players ranked among MLB’s top-100 prospects.
“Yeah, he’s gone,” Amaro announced.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if [shortstop Aidan] Miller, [outfielder Gabriel] Rincones [Jr.], and [pitcher Mick] Abel are all in play, and most likely more. [Catcher Eduardo] Tait and others. I believe some players will be in play. It’s that simple. If you want a player to aid you, you’ll have to give up something in exchange.”
“I think they’ll try to hold on to Miller and [Justin] Crawford with every fiber of their being,” Zolecki told reporters.
“Whatever you do, it will hurt, but you have to fix this thing,” Salisbury reasoned. “You have to get a shutdown arm out of that bullpen, and I am convinced they will, because they know they have a ticking clock on the core of this team. They know they have a tremendous starting rotation, and they know they can win [the World Series].”
The Phillies also understand that they require more than one high-end reliever. With obvious offensive shortcomings in center field (Johan Rojas and Brandon Marsh) and left field (Max Kepler), Philadelphia would be wise to get a better outfield bat as well.
Perhaps both roster gaps can be covered with a single move.
Phillies would address multiple needs with an all-in trade for Emmanuel Clase and Steven Kwan.
One story that has been circulating in the rumor mill, bolstered by a recent article from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, has Philadelphia approaching the Guardians to inquire about Clase and Kwan.
So far this season, Clase has 20 saves with a 2.91 ERA, following three consecutive seasons of 40-plus saves and a career ERA of 1.82, while Kwan, in his fourth MLB season, has been a very consistent offensive performance, sitting incredibly near to his career slash line of.285/.357/.396. Both players are 27, and both have a few years of team control remaining, with Clase under contract until 2028 at $26 million per.
Kwan also inked a contract for less than $20 million for two more seasons till 2027.
Acquiring the two will not be cheap, but FanSided’s Christopher Kline suggests that a package of Abel (No. 5 Prospect), Escobar (No. 6), and Rincones (No. 11) would suffice. “The Phillies Show” co-hosts would most certainly laugh off that concept as another of Amaro’s dismissals of “these crazy, ridiculous, stupid ideas that are out there.”
“I mean, listen, it’s okay to be bold and to think big, but it’s good going to deplete your system,” Amaro pointed out.
Which is fine for the right deal, because that’s what the system is for.
“In that dream scenario, Clase and Kwan, I mean, it would start with Miller and Crawford for sure,” said Zolecki.
“Then it would keep going. Miller, Crawford, Abel, etc. Tait has a wonderful contract as well,” Amaro remarked.
“You take [Kwan] and Clase, and you can give them seven players. I include Crawford, Miller, and the rest of the men because, guess what? They’re big leaguers who are now performing well and have the potential to win.”
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