It is the middle of July and the Philadelphia Phillies have played their way into playoff contention with a fabulous month of June. The Phightins’ posted a 19-8 record in June. Of course, they have their share of injuries around the time the trade deadline is on the horizon. 

Jean Segura, Bryce Harper, Zac Eflin, Ranger Suarez, and Alec Bohm are key subtractions to the club. The three position players being out will basically be additions when they return. What you don’t see here is a key reliever on the injured list. Good and bad because any team in the mix could use another bullpen arm to beef up their pitching staff to plan for the pitching injury bug as much as one team can. So I decided to put together a list of five relievers the Phillies can realistically target at MLB’s August 2nd deadline. 

Step on up Anthony Bass of the Miami Marlins. A brief look at the resume of Bass is that he’s 34 years of age, in his 11th season in the bigs, and 4.03 ERA for his career. Not too great so the asking price for Bass would not be high at all. Hey the price may even be just cash considerations considering it is the Marlins, a team that has had money problems off and on for a number of years now. 

On the bright side, Bass really hooks guys with his breaking pitches to strike them out. Sorry that’s the only bass pun I’ll use I promise. From the film, I’ve noticed that Bass throws a fastball, changeup, curveball and slider. Since joining the Marliins in 2021, the reliever posts a 2.94 ERA in 107 games. The acquisition will barely grab a headline but is a buy low type of move that could help bolster and lighten the load for the current bullpen. 

The next affordable piece for the Phillies to scoop on up is Colorado Rockies reliever Daniel Bard. There’s multiple reasons that Bard is a gettable piece for a team that is barren/reluctant to give up prospects or players of value like the Phillies. Bard is a 37 year old reliever, he was out of the MLB due to control issues from 2013-2020, and he is on the 39-49 Rockies in a stacked National League West. 

It may have sounded like I presented the case to stay away from Bard. The stats say otherwise. Bard holds a 3-3 record, 2.20 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 25 games pitched, 32.2 innings pitches and 18 saves for his 2022 season. Bard’s out pitch looks to be his slider. It sweeps into lefties back heels and away from bat heads of right handed hitters. Acquiring a closer type reliever would give Rob Thomson a much needed cushion in the bullpen. 

Scott Barlow is a reliever in his prime enjoying a good 2022 season. Barlow is 3-2, 2.21 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 37 games pitched, 40.2 innings pitched. The tall right-hander is currently with the Kansas City Royals. A team that is in the basement of the American League Central with a record of 35-53. 

The Royals are generally not a playoff team and with Barlow’s impending free agency it may be in the best interest of the Royals to get something back for Barlow. Instead of going through arbitration or losing him for nothing. There’s the Phillies leverage right there. Barlow has a simple three pitch arsenal of a slider, curveball, and fastball that can touch 95 and up. Another advantage Barlow possesses is his tall frame allows him to come down on hitters and be intimidating. 

The fourth option is relatively unknown to me but seems interesting. Brock Burke of the Texas Rangers. Burke is a left hander and that adds some variety to the pen. The Phillies currently lack another lefty, at least for my preference, Adding another is always nice insurance. 

Burke is a big lefty that can get it up to 95 on the gun witha big looping curveball. Burke has dealt with a left shouler injury since 2020 so that could scare off the Phillies or bring his value down. The first time he was injured in 2020, he was ranked as the Rangers number seven prospect. Nonetheless, Burke would be a valuable considering his decent 2022 season posting a 4-2 record, 1.19 ERA, and 45.1 innings pitched. 

The final is Carl Edwards Jr of the division rival Washington Nationals. Edwards can mirror as long man or 6th inning type of guy. The 30 year old would bring some much needed experience as he was apart of the 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series championship team. Edwards currently has pitched 27 games, 3.45 ERA, in 31.1 innings pitched. 

With all that said, the Phillies do seem to have some kind of window here. Or big enough for Dave Dombrowski to take a swing on the team to get hot at the right time right when Bryce Harper returns. No matter what, the bullpen is definitely a place that needs some fine tuning for the Philadelphia Phillies.