The Phillies have a clear shopping list heading into the MLB trade deadline, and the front office may need to get creative to check off more than one box.
A right-handed bat has been on the wish list for most of the season, with the ideal fit coming in the outfield so Philadelphia can move past any thought of Bryce Harper returning to the grass. The bullpen is also under the microscope after Brad Keller’s season-ending UCL injury, and the club still hasn’t found a reliable answer for bridging the gap to Jhoan Duran. On top of that, the Phillies have struggled to stay competitive much of the time when Aaron Nola and the No. 5 starter take the mound.
That leaves Dave Dombrowski with a difficult task: fix multiple weaknesses without a farm system overflowing with obvious trade pieces. But one lower-level arm is starting to stand out as a possible name to include in a deal.
Matt Gelb of The Athletic identified right-hander Marty Gair as a prospect to watch. The 13th-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers, Florida, is not among the organization’s top 30 prospects, but his raw stuff gives him some appeal in trade talks. His fastball averages 97.8 mph, and that kind of velocity tends to get attention.
Gair has been working as a reliever with Single-A Clearwater in the Florida State League, and the strikeout numbers jump off the page. In 32 innings, he has punched out 56 of the 132 batters he has faced.
The fastball has been a weapon, and it played even louder in June, when Gair was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month. He recorded 18 strikeouts in just 8.2 innings, held hitters to 1-for-26 (.038 batting avg), and reportedly touched 101.5 mph during the month.
The flip side is just as obvious. Gair’s control remains a work in progress, and his pitch location needs refinement.
He has walked 20 batters this season, and his minor league track record includes an 8.2 BB/9 ratio. That kind of self-inflicted traffic makes it tough to sustain success.
The results have reflected that issue. Gair carries a 5.06 ERA in 2026, though he has allowed only 18 hits. Five of those hits have left the yard.
He probably won’t be the centerpiece of any trade, but that doesn’t mean he lacks value. A team looking at the arm strength, the strikeout rate, and the upside could see him as the second or third piece in a package - the kind of prospect who helps push a deal across the finish line.
In Other News...
Phillies Just Got A Troubling Pitching Update Before The Deadline
The Phillies have spent much of the summer trying to patch together a roster that has been tested by injuries on the right side of the outfield and by some uneven pitching behind the front of the rotation. With the deadline approaching, the conversation inside the organization has only sharpened around how much help the staff actually has in reserve, especially when it comes to finding reliable innings beyond the starters who are already carrying the load.
Alex McFarlane and Gage Wood are part of the systems long-term picture, but neither is viewed as a quick fix for the kind of late-game pressure the Phillies need to solve right now. Wood is still being developed as a starter, while McFarlane remains a work in progress, which leaves the front office staring at a familiar deadline question: whether the answer has to come from outside the organization rather than from a prospect breakthrough at home. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Linked To Francisco Lindor In Trade Idea Mets Fans Need To See
With the trade deadline approaching, the Phillies are still searching for ways to sharpen a roster built to win now, with pitching and bullpen help sitting near the top of the list. A recent hypothetical idea put Francisco Lindor into the conversation, which is enough to get attention around the league, but it also comes with an obvious question for Philadelphia: where exactly would he fit on a team that already has Trea Turner locked in long term?
Lindors production this season has not exactly made the case for a major reshuffle, and the Phillies have reason to be cautious about forcing a move just because a big name is available. For all the intrigue attached to a star shortstop, the cleaner path may be to use the deadline to add a more natural fit, with an outfielder on an expiring contract looking like the kind of upgrade that would make more sense for what this roster actually needs. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Linked To A Trade Idea That Would Frustrate Fans Fast
The latest trade chatter around the Phillies has a familiar kind of frustration attached to it, because it asks them to chase help at a spot that already looks occupied. Bleacher Reports Zachary D. Rymer floated a deal that would send two pitching prospects to Minnesota in exchange for a catcher, but Philadelphias current setup makes the idea feel more like a detour than a solution. J.T. Realmuto is healthy and still entrenched as the starter, while the broader roster picture points elsewhere for upgrades.
Catcher has become a depth conversation in Philadelphia more than a true need, especially with Rafael Marchan sidelined for a while and Garrett Stubbs not viewed as a reliable emergency starter. Even so, the Phillies front office has more pressing holes to address, particularly in the search for a right-handed slugger and outfield help, which is why a move like this would likely test fans patience fast. The market may exist for a catcher, but for the Phillies, the fit looks awfully hard to justify. [Read more 🡒]