Phillies Mailbag: Kemp, Trade Needs, Johnson to the Bullpen?

We are back once again with the 97.3 ESPN Phillies Mailbag.   Each week we take your questions and answer them on The Sports Bash with Mike Gill.  Tune in each Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. to hear your questions answered on the air.

Otto Kemp is off to a very fast start in AAA. Is there a possibility of a call up sooner than later. Especially with the offense lacking any real power outside of Kyle Schwarber?
~Daniel

The Phillies invited Otto Kemp to 2025 Phillies Spring Training.  He had many opportunities around the diamond.  But perhaps even more impressive, Kemp batted .350 with three doubles and a triple in 14 games and 20 at bats.   That success has continued in the minor leagues.

So far at Triple-A, Kemp is batting .313 with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 21 RBI.  He has been on base at a .415 clip, perhaps aided by being by four pitches in one game.  His defensive versaility has been noteworthy.

Kemp has appeared at first base, second base, third base, and left field.

So where did Kemp come from?

Undrafted, the Phillies signed Kemp to a minor league contract in August of 2022.  Kemp has progressed through the Phillies system, reaching Triple-A in 2025.

Kemp battled injuries in high school, and those injuries continued into college.  His college play at Division II Point Loma Nazarene University, where the pandemic also impacted his ability to play.

Yet, Kemp has made his mark in the Phillies system and is now ranked the number 24 Phillies prospect on MLB Pipeline.

I believe that it is no coincidence that Kemp has been playing the outfield of late, in particular.  And yes, he is pushing to make a major league debut.

It is clear that the Phillies need help from the right side, and Kemp is a right-handed hitter.  The Phillies already recently traded utility player Kody Clemens to the Minnesota Twins. So there is depleted depth in the system.

Working against Kemp at the moment is that he is not a member of the 40-man roster.  But should the Phillies find themselves with an injury, he could be at the top of the list to get an opportunity.

So while I do not think he would displace Weston Wilson on the active roster, should another player succumb to an injury, they have a versatile player at Triple-A ready to go.

Although it's early, what positions and what specific players would you look to target at the trade deadline?
~Nick

The Phillies are just approaching the 30-game mark, generally considered a small sample size.   But I think that it is pretty evident that the Phillies need to make things right.  Right-handed, that is.  I think they need help from the mound and at the plate.

The first glaring weakness is the Phillies bullpen.   As of Tuesday afternoon, the Phillies right-handed relievers have ERAs as follows:

• Carlos Hernandez 7.20
• Orion Kerkering 5.23
• Jordan Romano 12.19
• Joe Ross 5.02
• Jose Ruiz 5.40

This does not include the inherited runners allowed to score on their watch, either.

So I think it's fair to say a right-handed bullpen arm would be helpful.

The Phillies likely know this; Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently reported that the Phillies were interested in Cardinals right-handed closer Ryan Helsley:

 The Philadelphia Phillies, among other teams, already are keeping a close eye on Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, who will likely be dealt by the trade deadline. Yet, the Phillies are adamant they will not include top prospects Andrew Painter or Aidan Miller in any trade.

It's rare that a team trades their top one or two prospects anymore, anyway.  But it's worth keeping an eye on; Helsley is a really solid closer and would help them overcome the inconsistency of Romano and others.

But I also think a right-handed bat would be helpful, too.   The Phillies added left-handed outfielder Max Kepler this offseason to replace right-handed Austin Hays.

Could the Phillies, if they work out a deal with St. Louis, also land third baseman Nolan Arenado?   While Alec Bohm has shown improvement after a tough start, Arenando might be a little more of a steady hand from the right side at the hot corner.

Should Miller not be traded, a Bohm-for-Arenado trade could open an infield position at the end of the season.

I also would still keep an eye on Andrew McCutchen.  I believe that he has signed with Pittsburgh with the understanding that they would not trade him.   But maybe having been in Philadelphia for three years he would have a soft spot for the town and would like to compete for World Series with them.

With the recent issues with the Phillies bullpen with Jordan Romano having a 12 ERA: would a Seth Johnson callup be likely?
~Evan

This is an interesting move the Phillies made since we talked last week.  In fact, last Tuesday, Seth Johnson, acquired along with Moises Chace in the Gregory Soto trade deadline trade last season, made his first relief appearance.

The move was not a demotion; instead the Phillies were looking to increase their right-handed bullpen depth.

Johnson is a two-pitch pitcher; he has yet to perfect a third pitch.  Starters tend to need that third pitch, whereas a reliever pitching an inning can get away with it easier.

So the Phillies are thinking creatively how they can get a right-handed arm in the bullpen.

I thought maybe Mick Abel might be that guy, as he has been hitting 97 miles per hour this season.  But they seem content keeping him as a starter for now.

While I would not say that a Johnson promotion is "likely", he is on the 40-man roster and would represent an internal option.   Many of the Phillies right-handed options now do not have minor league options available to them.  Johnson could be called up but then also returned to the minor leagues should the Phillies make a trade acquisition.