Bullet point summary by AI
- The surging Philadelphia Phillies are positioning themselves to be incredibly aggressive buyers as the upcoming MLB trade deadline approaches.
- The team targets outfield and pitching depth, eyeing potential impactful acquisitions like Taylor Ward or Jo Adell to bolster their current lineup.
- Securing a high-profile star could propel Philadelphia past division rivals, solidifying a deep postseason run to capture the National League.
Dave Dombrowski is never afraid to swing big. And this year should be no different.
Early in the season, the Atlanta Braves appeared to be running away with the division. The Philadelphia Phillies, underperforming, fired manager Rob Thomson and replaced him with Don Mattingly. They have since taken off, surging to 48-38 and within 2.5 games of first place in the National League East. With such an opportunity this feels like prime Dave Dombrowski season.
Expect Dave Dombrowski to be aggressive with the Phillies trade deadline plans
It’s been reported that the Phillies are in the market for an outfielder and pitching help. And one of the best fits for the Phillies, both Tom Verducci and I agreed on The Baseball Insiders, was Baltimore Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward.
Ward, 32, is in the final year of his contract before becoming a free agent in the winter. Throughout his career, he’s been a player capable of hitting 20+ homers. He’s done so three times in the last four seasons, including a 36-homer, 103-RBI season last year with the Los Angeles Angels. But he’s hit only five homers with 22 RBI while slashing .249/.379/.351 with five home runs and 22 RBI this season with the Orioles.
It’s unclear the reason for the decline in numbers, though it should be noted he played with a minor bone bruise in his hand from mid-April to mid-May. But playing in Philadelphia and working with well-regarded hitting coach Kevin Long could be an excellent fit for Ward and allow him to hit the ground running ahead of free agency.
Another option could be Jo Adell, the Los Angeles Angels outfielder. The Angels just fired Perry Minasian and are now run by John Mozeliak, who has been more aggressive on the trade market than Minasian. It’s possible that the chances of Adell or even Reid Detmers have increased now that Mozeliak is running the show, though Mozeliak is more focused on getting caught up to speed with the organization and getting ready for the draft.
But if the Angels decide to sell, Adell should draw big interest. He can hit for power. He can play strong defense (see: the game earlier this season against the Seattle Mariners where he robbed three home runs). He’s only making $5.2 million this year and is arbitration eligible next year and will not be a free agent until 2028. So he’d provide certainty in the outfield for at least the next 1.5 seasons.
Even Dombrowski can’t convince the Angels to move Mike Trout
Another Angels outfielder who is always connected to Philadelphia is Mike Trout. While it is fun to speculate on, of course, the Angels have never shown any willingness to move him. Arte Moreno has never wanted to move him. Trout has never wanted to waive his no-trade clause. And when asked about the possibility of moving Trout, Mozeliak told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic: “In terms of trading him, that topic never came up, and I don’t think it will.”
Spoiler alert: Trout ain’t going anywhere.
These will be only a couple of the options and possibilities that Dombrowski, general manager Preston Mattingly and the front office consider in the coming weeks. But there’s an opportunity to take the NL East. The Phillies can smell it. And with an addition or two, perhaps even a star, not only can the division be theirs, but so can the National League as a whole.
Which is why Dombrowski is the executive to watch between now and August 3.
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