The Philadelphia Phillies should try to trade for this impressive pitcher following a brutal injury update.
The Philadelphia Phillies had a very quiet offseason, and one of their only significant moves was signing relief pitcher Brad Keller.
Well, now, the Phillies just lost Keller for the year, as he has a torn UCL.
Keller had missed nearly a month with a forearm injury before finally returning just before the All-Star break, so this is crushing news for Philadelphia.
The Phillies' bullpen was shaky with Keller aboard; now, it becomes that much more of an area of need before the MLB trade deadline.
Philadelphia also needs an outfielder and starting rotation depth, but now, finding some relievers is of the utmost importance.
The problem for the Phillies is that there probably aren't going to be many teams selling off pieces between now and Aug. 3, and Philadelphia does not exactly have a ton of assets in its minor-league system.
However, there is one impressive bullpen arm that stands out as a potential trade target for the Phils: Baltimore Orioles right-hander Yennier Cano.
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Yennier Cano. Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images.Cano has appeared in 42 games this season and owns a 2.32 ERA and 1.065 WHIP, having issued just eight walks over 31 innings of work.
The 32-year-old isn't a flamethrower who is going to wow you with his strikeout rate (career 8.7 K/9), but he generally keeps the ball in the park and has mostly been reliable over the last four seasons in Baltimore.
Cano earned an All-Star selection back in 2023 after pitching to the tune of a 2.11 ERA, featuring a remarkable 1.6 BB/9. Over the course of the last four years, he boasts a 3.21 ERA and 3.37 FIP, so he is definitely someone the Phillies should be monitoring.
What's more, Cano is under team control through 2028, so it's not like Philadelphia would run the risk of losing him to free agency over the winter.
Now, because Cano isn't slated to hit the open market for another few years, the Orioles may place a rather high price on the reliever, which could scare the Phillies away. Philadelphia needs to walk a delicate balance here, because it must preserve enough assets to fill all of its deadline holes.
But there is no doubt that the Phillies should place a call to Baltimore to see if they can pry Cano away from the Orioles.
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