The Philadelphia Phillies are slated to be buying at the MLB trade deadline in just a few days, and they have major needs in the starting rotation, the bullpen, and the outfield.
There are plenty of teams worth considering linking up with for a trade, but recently, there has been a lot of buzz about the Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays linking up for a deadline deal.
Amid the report from Jon Morosi of MLB Network that the Phillies and Blue Jays are "emerging as trade partners," Morosi named five players the Phillies could wind up targeting at the deadline in a deal with Toronto.
"The Blue Jays & Phillies are emerging as trade partners, as I reported on @MLBNetwork," Morosi reports. "Philly has multiple needs. Toronto has available veterans in those areas: Gausman, Bieber, Hoffman, Springer, Varsho."
The Phillies have three needs at the trade deadline this season, and the Blue Jays have five players, if not more, who could help resolve those issues for Philadelphia.
The Phillies' starting rotation need could be resolved by trading with the Blue Jays for either Kevin Gausman or Shane Bieber. Both are free agents after the season, so as rental options, they shouldn't be too costly.
Gausman has a 4.51 ERA this season, and is a former two-time All-Star on the last year of a $110 million contract. He shouldn't cost too much to acquire, considering his contract and his mediocre performance this season.
Bieber is hitting free agency after 2026, and he has a 5.74 ERA this season in seven starts. He should be fairly cheap considering his struggles, but he's still a good rotation option, and would make sense for Philadelphia.
Jeff Hoffman is the only player Morosi named who could help the Phillies' bullpen, but he'd make a ton of sense. He's under contract for the 2027 season for $11 million on his three-year, $33 million deal.
He has a 4.11 ERA this season with -0.2 bWAR, but as a former All-Star with the Phillies, he's the kind of player worth getting excited about if the Phillies could find a way to acquire him for relatively cheap. That might be difficult, but it's one worth exploring.
George Springer and Daulton Varsho are some interesting, but less-than-ideal options to fill the Phillies' outfield need this summer.
Varsho is a rental Gold Glove-winning outfielder who has 1.2 bWAR this season with a .691 OPS as a left-handed hitter. Springer is a rental slugger who has a .719 OPS and is a right-handed hitter, but he's spent all but one game playing at designated hitter.
Neither of these options would be ideal for the Phillies, but there is a world in which the Phillies could make either pickup work for the roster and lineup construction.
While there are plenty of other sellers out there that could match well with the Phillies, like the NL East rival New York Mets, the Blue Jays have a few very fascinating options for the Phillies to consider this season.
Morosi is reporting that the two teams are emerging as potential trade partners for the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and some of these players would certainly help.
This is a match to keep an eye on, as Philadelphia and Toronto could link up this summer for a trade or two by the August 3 MLB trade deadline.
