The Phillies have spent the last few months clawing their way back from a brutal 9-19 start, and the turnaround has put them in a very different spot than the one they occupied when Rob Thomson was fired. With Don Mattingly guiding the club as interim manager, Philadelphia is playing better baseball. But the trade deadline is still looming, and the roster still has too many holes to ignore.
The biggest issue is that one deal probably won’t be enough. Philadelphia needs help getting on base, and that problem isn’t likely to vanish with a single move.
The rotation also needs attention, with the No. 5 spot described as a black hole and Aaron Nola not giving enough as the No. 4 starter. On top of that, the bullpen could use at least one arm, maybe two.
That’s where the Royals come into the picture.
Kansas City has pieces that could line up neatly with what the Phillies need, and Alex Coll pointed to two names in particular on X: veteran starter Michael Wacha and outfielder Lane Thomas. Wacha would help stabilize the back end of the rotation, while Thomas would give Philadelphia another option in the lineup.
There’s also a familiar bullpen name in Kansas City: Matt Strahm. The Phillies could consider bringing him back even though he has struggled this season. Reunions have become a theme in Philadelphia, with Jeff Hoffman of the Toronto Blue Jays also someone the club would love to get back.
Another Royals reliever, Daniel Lynch IV, would fit the Phillies’ need for a left-handed bullpen arm, though the source material notes he would come at a much steeper price than Strahm.
For Kansas City, the timing of all this is complicated by a rough season that got even worse when superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. landed on the injured list for the first time in his career. The Royals were 43-62 entering play on July 25, and that injury makes their seller status even more obvious.
Wacha’s profile is exactly the kind of steady presence Philadelphia could use. He has gone at least six innings in 15 of 20 starts and owns a 3.66 ERA, numbers that fit the description of a dependable innings eater. He also hasn’t posted an ERA above 3.86 in five straight seasons, which would make him a clear upgrade over what Nola and the No. 5 starters have offered.
Thomas brings a different kind of value. The Phillies have shown interest in him before, and he has responded this season with a 107 OPS+ after a rough run with the Cleveland Guardians. Left-handed pitching has had a hard time with him over his career, as shown by his .287/.359/.485 slash line.
If Dave Dombrowski is going to make the most of this deadline, Kansas City looks like one place where Philadelphia could solve more than one problem at once.
In Other News...
Royals Fans May Not Like Where This Lane Thomas Buzz Is Going
Lane Thomas has been a useful piece for Kansas City since arriving, giving the Royals another right-handed bat and some real pop in the middle of the season. In 92 games, he has supplied 10 home runs, which is the kind of production that can make him appealing to a contender looking for a lineup upgrade without having to chase a bigger name.
Now the buzz around him is drifting into uncomfortable territory for Royals fans, because Cleveland is said to be exploring a move that would bring Thomas back into the fold. The fit is obvious on paper, especially for a Guardians club that could use another right-handed option in the outfield or at designated hitter, but the idea also comes with a little extra sting after Thomas chose Kansas City over Cleveland last winter. [Read more 🡒]
Royals May Finally Have The Outfield Answer Fans Wanted
As the trade deadline nears, the Royals are at least considering a roster shuffle that could open the door for another look at Gavin Cross. With Lane Thomas among the players who could be moved, Kansas City has a chance to turn a deadline decision into an evaluation of one of its former first-round picks, and Cross has put himself back into the conversation with his work at Triple-A Omaha.
The 2022 first-rounder has been one of the brighter spots in the organization lately, enough to remind the Royals why they invested in him in the first place. If Kansas City does create an opening in the outfield, the question becomes less about whether Cross has earned attention and more about how quickly the club is willing to test him against major league pitching. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Fire Sale Could Suddenly Change Everything For These Players
The Royals deadline plans are starting to feel like they could reshape more than just the roster at the margins. Kansas City is widely expected to sell after a slow start, and if that happens, the ripple effects would reach beyond the players who are moved out. It would also open the door for others on the roster to take on bigger jobs, especially players who have already shown signs of settling in over the past month or so.
Isaac Collins is one of the clearest examples, with his recent improvement giving him a case to climb higher in the lineup if the front office starts dealing from the major league group. Steven Cruz is in a similar spot on the pitching side, where a stronger stretch lately has made him look more capable of handling a larger bullpen role. If Kansas City does turn into a full deadline sell-off, the names leaving town could matter almost as much as the ones left behind. [Read more 🡒]