The Phillies have put themselves in a position where the next question is no longer whether they’re good, but how much better they can get.
After climbing to 10 games over .500, Philadelphia has spent the past stretch erasing the memory of its rough start. The team has been one of baseball’s best since May, and the climb back up the National League East has come fast enough that what once looked out of reach now feels very much alive.
That success has naturally pushed the Phillies deeper into the All-Star conversation. With the game set for Philadelphia this year, there is even an expectation that Cristopher Sanchez could get the start for the NL, which would be a major honor.
But even with the wins piling up, the roster still has a few spots that could use help. The trade deadline is coming quickly, and the Phillies figure to be part of plenty of speculation as they look for ways to sharpen the group.
One name tied to them recently is Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton. Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN identified Philadelphia as one of the best fits for him, though they also put his chances of being traded at just 10 percent.
That low odds number matters, because Buxton would address more than one need. The Phillies could use outfield help, and that issue has only been made worse by the loss of Adolis Garcia for the year. A player like Buxton would also give them another bat in the lineup, adding a talented left-handed slugger to the mix.
The fit makes sense on paper, but there is a catch. Buxton’s no-trade clause gives him real control, and the source material notes that he seemingly doesn’t seem overly bothered to be dealt, which makes that a major hurdle.
Philadelphia has also already had another big-name dream target taken off the board. Mike Trout was floated as a possibility, but his general manager has already shut down any chance of him being traded to the Phillies.
So while Buxton looks like a strong match for what Philadelphia needs, the odds still point the other way. Even so, the Phillies remain the kind of team that would make sense if the situation ever changed.
In Other News...
Andrew Painter May Have Changed One Phillies Deadline Dilemma
Andrew Painters return to Triple-A has given the Phillies something they badly needed in the middle of July: a reason to pause before chasing starting pitching help. The former top prospect struggled in his rookie MLB season and was sent back to Lehigh Valley, but his first two outings there have been encouraging, with one run allowed in each start and a cleaner second trip through the rotation that included multiple strikeouts and no walks.
For a club that can see the need for depth on the mound, that matters because every step Painter takes forward can change the calculus at the deadline. If he keeps trending in the right direction, the Phillies may not feel as pressed to pay the kind of prospect price that would come with chasing higher-end starters, and that could make the front offices next move a lot more complicated than simply adding another arm. [Read more 🡒]
The Schmitter Is Finally Coming Back To Citizens Bank Park
For Phillies fans with a long memory, one of Citizens Bank Parks most beloved ballpark sandwiches is making a comeback. The Schmitter, that hybrid cheesesteak piled with steak, onions, cheese, salami and tomatoes on a Kaiser roll, is set to return for the MLB All-Star Game and then stay on the menu for the rest of the season, giving the park a little extra local flavor at a time when food traditions matter almost as much as the baseball.
The sandwich was a fixture at Citizens Bank Park from 2004 to 2016 before disappearing because the kitchen space could not support making it at the quality the park wanted. Now Aramark says it has been working to bring the Schmitter back and hopes to find a longer-term solution, which at least gives Phillies fans a reason to keep an eye on the concessions line as the summer rolls on. [Read more 🡒]
Zack Wheeler Was Livid After Phillies Fans Saw Another All-Star Snub
Zack Wheelers latest All-Star snub landed with extra sting for Phillies fans because it came in the middle of another dominant season, one that has only reinforced how indispensable he has been on the mound. Since returning in late April from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, Wheeler has looked like the same top-line starter the Phillies have built around, piling up strikeouts and run prevention that made his omission feel less like a judgment on performance and more like a bureaucratic quirk.
Wheeler was especially irritated by the way the selection process played out, and his frustration made sense after a seven-inning, 14-strikeout start that only sharpened the case for him. With a 2.28 ERA and the kind of workload that usually earns All-Star recognition, he has given the Phillies everything they could ask for, even if the roster rules created a technicality that kept him out of the game. [Read more 🡒]