4 Philadelphia Phillies trade targets to boost World Series odds
The Philadelphia Phillies are one of the best teams in baseball this year, sitting near the top of the MLB standings with June fast approaching. However, with the MLB trade deadline a few weeks away, there are a few Phillies trade targets who could make this club even better.
Entering MLB games today, the Phillies lineup is one of the best in baseball and its starting pitching has been even better. With that said, there’s always room to improve and that includes positions that could be addressed on the Phillies roster.
Let’s dive into a few of our Phillies trade targets for the summer.
Tyler O’Neill, right fielder, Boston Red Sox
It’s possible the Phillies are holding out hope that Nick Castellanos turns things around at the plate. However, even in May, he’s slashed .227/.306/.387 in his first 85 plate appearances. Since the start of the 2023 season, the 32-year-old has just a .741 OPS and .303 OBP. Philadelphia can do a lot better than that, especially since they are already sacrificing defensively.
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Tyler O’Neill is thriving in Boston. The 28-year-old outfielder sports a .248/.358/.525 slash line with 11 home runs and a 139 wRC+ this season. He’s performing at the level we saw in 2021 – .352 OBP, .560 SLG and 143 wRC+ – this time in a contract year. O’Neill would represent a significant upgrade for the Phillies lineup and he’s certainly not worse than Castellanos defensively. Plus, the acquisition cost is lowered because he would only be a half-season rental.
Yusei Kikuchi, starting pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays
Taijuan Walker has struggled in 2024, compiling a 5.06 WHIP and 1.54 ERA in his first 26.2 innings pitched. Maybe he returns to form, but the Phillies also know how tight the race for the No. 1 seed in the National League is going to be. Every game will matter, which is why it makes sense to pursue a rotation upgrade since Philadelphia clearly prefers Spencer Turnbull in the bullpen.
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Yusei Kikuchi is another one of our Phillies trade targets serving as a half-season rental. The 32-year-old southpaw has been outstanding for the Toronto Blue Jays early this season, holding opponents to a .233 batting average with a 1.12 WHIP and a 2.64 ERA in 58 innings. Plus, the 0.62 HR/0, 2.68 expected ERA (xERA) and 20.3 percent K-BB rate all suggest this is legitimate. He should be fairly affordable to acquire and would strengthen the best rotation in baseball.
