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10 starting pitchers Phillies could consider trading for before deadline

Lucas Giolito could be a trade candidate for the Phillies to consider. (Gavin Napier/Icon Sportswire)

Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is in an interesting situation regarding the team’s starting rotation as the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaches.

Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola both need to get better results in the second-half of the season than they have prior to the All-Star Break, but that pair of righties and lefty Ranger Suárez headlined a rotation that reached the World Series a season ago.

Taijuan Walker has had an uneven first half, but after a dominant month of June, his ERA is down to 4.02. Walker is in the first season of a four-year/$72 million deal, and is a better pitcher than Noah Syndergaard was when he started Game 5 of the World Series last season.

For the time being, lefty Cristopher Sánchez has stabilized the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation, and as Phillies Nation‘s Destiny Lugardo wrote last month, if you make a trade for a pitcher at the deadline, it makes more sense for it to be someone who could realistically start a playoff game. A moderate upgrade over Sánchez, at best, would become a long reliever in the postseason.

But while there may still be hope that No. 1 overall prospect Andrew Painter can contribute late in the 2023 season, a scare in his rehab from a right UCL sprain is the latest reminder that the Phillies can’t bank on the 20-year-old making an impact this year.

So while adding a starting pitcher may not be priority No. 1 for the Phillies this month, it has to at least be a consideration. Yes, the Phillies should call the New York Mets about the availability of Max Scherzer, but the future Hall of Famer ending up in red pinstripes doesn’t feel especially likely. So here’s a look at 10 potential trade candidates for the Phillies to ponder this month.

RHP Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox

The former All-Star posted a 2.32 ERA in June, and between 2019 and 2021, Giolito was one of baseball’s better pitchers, posting a 3.47 ERA and 3.54 FIP over 427 2/3 innings pitched, which were 13th in baseball over that span. It’s not hard to make the case for trading for the impending free agent, who would give the Phillies another starting option for the postseason, and could potentially be re-signed if Nola were to depart in free agency.

RHP Paul Blackburn, Oakland Athletics

At 24-63, the A’s are so bad that they don’t even have many intriguing trade candidates. Blackburn would be one of the few intriguing names on Oakland’s roster, as he’s posted a 4.34 ERA and 4.01 FIP in 28 starts since the beginning of the 2022 season. The 29-year-old probably wouldn’t be someone Rob Thomson tabs to start a postseason game, but he would improve the No. 5 spot in the rotation both now and in the coming years, as he can’t become a free agent until after the 2025 season.

LHP James Paxton, Boston Red Sox

The oft-injured lefty is 5-1 with a 2.73 ERA and 3.66 FIP in nine starts for the Red Sox in 2023. Paxton recently was named the American League pitcher of the month for June, and considering he’s making just $4 million in 2023, it wouldn’t be hard to absorb the 34-year-old’s salary. It’s just a matter of whether the 48-43 Red Sox cool off enough after the All-Star Break to become sellers.

RHP Seth Lugo, San Diego Padres

San Diego has been a massive disappointment, but chairman Peter Seidler said the suddenly-aggressive spenders will remain players moving forward. That doesn’t mean, however, that they won’t be willing to consider trade offers. So while Juan Soto probably isn’t going to be dealt, someone like Lugo — who seems likely to opt out of his deal this offseason, rather than making $7.5 million in 2024 — might very well be attainable. The former New York Met has a 3.39 ERA and 3.37 FIP in 12 starts this season.

RHP Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals

Like the Padres, a complete teardown probably isn’t coming from the Cardinals, even though 2023 has been a disappointing season. So the idea of the Phillies trading for Paul Goldschmidt or Nolan Arenado is likely unrealistic. But with Flaherty set to become a free agent, St. Louis might be willing to trade the 27-year-old. Flaherty once seemed destined to be one of the sport’s elite pitchers, as he finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting in 2019. But in 52 games — 49 of which have been starts — since the start of the 2020 season, Flaherty has posted a 4.04 ERA and 4.24 FIP.

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LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, Detroit Tigers

A stint on the restricted list limited Rodriguez to just 17 starts in 2022, but he’s bounced back nicely in the second year of a five-year/$77 million deal. Rodriguez recently returned from an injured list stint, and while he struggled in his first start back, he still has a 2.64 ERA and 3.34 FIP across 71 2/3 innings pitched this season. The 30-year-old may end up just being a rental, as his strong production through 12 starts might be enough for him to opt out of the three years and $49 million remaining on his contract. What’s worth noting is that Rodriguez finished sixth in AL Cy Young voting for the 2019 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, a team whose front office was led by Dombrowski.

RHP Marcus Stroman, Chicago Cubs

In 2019, Stroman was traded to the New York Mets weeks after he represented the Toronto Blue Jays in the All-Star Game. He’s an All-Star again in 2023, this time for the Chicago Cubs. The 32-year-old is due to make $21 million in 2024, but can opt out and become a free agent this offseason. That might be enough for a disappointing Cubs team to trade him.

RHP Lance Lynn, White Sox

It was a disastrous first half for Lynn, who heads into the All-Star Break with a 6.03 ERA and 4.82 FIP. At 36, potential suitors will have to reckon with the possibility that Lynn has just hit a wall. However, he was a workhorse between 2019 and 2022, posting a 3.42 ERA and 3.48 FIP over 571 innings. If he pitches well in the second half of the season, Lynn’s $18 million option would be a no-brainer to exercise. If not, he would only be owed a $1 million buyout.

LHP Jordan Montgomery, Cardinals

A right leg injury ended Montgomery’s most recent start prematurely, but the lefty would be an excellent addition if healthy. Set to become a free agent this offseason, Montgomery is 6-7 with a 3.23 ERA and 2.3 WAR this season.

RHP Michael Lorenzen, Tigers

Lorenzen is a .233 career hitter, and is productive enough with the bat that the Cincinnati Reds would occasionally start him in the outfield on days where he wasn’t hitting. But for Lorenzen — now with the Tigers — it’s his arm that’s going to draw interest in the coming days and weeks. The 31-year-old has a 4.03 ERA and 4.17 FIP in 15 starts this season.