Phillies Fans Won't Be Happy Over Latest Trade Deadline Report

The Philadelphia Phillies managed to score eight runs in their shutout, rain-shortened win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, marking their second straight victory. That's major news around these parts these days.

But in spite of the Phillies' offensive outburst on Sunday afternoon, it's blatantly obvious to anyone who has been watching this team all year long that they need hitting.

Outside of Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh, Philadelphia's lineup has been pitiful this season, and even Harper and Marsh have labored over the last month.

That's why the Phillies are expected to add a bat for the MLB trade deadline. The problem? The pickings are slim.

In fact, Matt Gelb of The Athletic has reported that team president Dave Dombrowski has turned his attention elsewhere before Monday's 6 p.m. cutoff.

"Most expectations, according to teams that have engaged with the Phillies, are that Dave Dombrowski has prioritized pitching acquisitions," Gelb wrote. "That could come in the form of two relievers, or a reliever plus a starting pitcher who could slide into a hypothetical October bullpen role. Some of this is being dictated by the market, which is slim on capable bats."

The Phillies have expressed interest in San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez, but that would prompt some pretty serious position shuffling by Don Mattingly. They've also checked in in Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell and Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward, but neither player is all that enticing.

There aren't a ton of options remaining for Philly, and the pipe dream of landing either Mike Trout or Byron Buxton has long been dead.

So, what exactly will Dombrowski do will less than 24 hours until the deadline?

Philadelphia is in dire need of starting pitching depth, so perhaps the Phils could find an innings eater somewhere. They also need bullpen help, so it wouldn't be surprising to see the Phillies add multiple relievers between now and Monday evening.

But as far as adding some juice to the lineup, much like last year when Philadelphia swung a deal to acquire Harrison Bader? It might not happen.

Bryan De La Cruz has provided a bit of a spark for the Phillies, and while Derek Hill has cooled off, he has at least put forth admirable production since being poached from the Chicago White Sox.

Perhaps the Phillies really will just proceed through the rest of the regular season with their lineup as currently constructed, and while that certainly won't make the fans happy, there may not be much Dombrowski can do to fix it.