Phillies Mailbag: 2026 Trade Deadline Edition

It's a trade deadline edition of the 97.3 ESPN Phillies Mailbag.  The Phillies should be active between now and Monday as the August 3 trade deadline is right in front of them.  Here are your questions from this week.

Are you worried about Zack Wheeler’s health after last night?
~Andrew

Phillies ace Zack Wheeler had one of his worst starts in recent memory on Monday night.   Three innings, five earned runs.  Immediately people were questioning his health.

Coming off of major surgery and missing the first month of the season, it would be natural to worry.  But Wheeler told reporters, including The Athletic's Matt Gelb that he is okay:

“Just one of those games.  One of these days. It just wasn’t coming out. I don’t know. No excuse, just a bad game.”

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly indicated the same.

The Phillies, to their credit, bailed Wheeler out and took a 7-5 lead.  However, it just so happened to be a bad game for All-Star closer Jhoan Duran.  He blew the save.

To me, the bigger worry from this is that the Phillies have little depth to overcome down starts like this.  When a team like the Phillies has to rely on Wheeler and Duran being perfect every time, that is a recipe for disaster.

Should the Phillies sell at the deadline? They’re not going to win playoff games like this.
~Vince

In a word: no.

I actually agree with you: the way they've been playing will not be enough to win playoff games.  But rather than sell, I would add.

We saw in 2022 that the Phillies, once they got into the playoffs, could hang with any team.  Why?  Well, they had their top starters, and two solid relievers that seemed to make every game winnable, especially with scheduled playoff days off.

I would say Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, and Jesus Luzardo is better than what the Phillies had in 2022.  Jhoan Duran is better than the Seranthony Dominguez/Jose Alvarado combo of 2022.

But the Phillies will need to add.

I think that the Phillies need one, but more realistically two relievers at the deadline.  They need a fifth starter (or perhaps someone even better than that, if they can swing it).  They also need a bat.

That's a lot.  But the Philies have gone this far into it, and they cannot look back now.

Wheeler, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, and others are into their 30s.  The window could be closing.

Instead of focusing on weakness and selling, the Phillies should look to add.

I would consider more substantial changes in the offseason.  But I think their best chance to win is now.  The Phillies should go for it.

Do you think that Dave Dombrowski has enough to trade to make real impact moves?
~Greg

The Phillies have three of the Top 100 Prospects on MLB Pipeline.  That does not include Andrew Painter, who is probably still a decent prospect despite having graduated from the list.  Probably?  But Gage Wood (48),  Aidan Miller (50), and Francisco Renteria (87) are on the list.

My guess is that Wood is someone the Phillies would prefer not to trade.  It sounds like Renteria is also not someone they wish to trade.  Would there be interest in the injured Miller, whose status for 2026 is unclear?

Despite this, the Phillies have two things going for them at this trade deadline.

1. Few top 100 prospects were traded last trade deadline

Last season, just three Top 100 prospects were traded at the trade deadline.  The Phillies happened to trade two of them in Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel. The third was top shortstop prospect Leo De Vries, who went to San Diego in the Mason Miller trade.

I think last season, Abel was a mostly known commodity, including his upside.  And he was barely on the list (ranked 92).

There are prospects on the Phillies prospect list that could interest other teams.

In the Top 30 from MLB Pipeline: pitcher Ramon Marquez, infielder Aroon Escobar, outfielder Dante Nori.  And further down the list, shortstop Bryan Rincon is getting attention of late.

These prospects are the type that would be suffient for rental players.

Last season, the Phillies were getting a very controllable Duran for their two top 100 prospects.

I would think Painter, though graduated from the prospect list, could be of interest.  While he has not regained his command, his velocity remains the same.

2. The Phillies can probably take on salary

I don't know what the Phillies are willing to spend the rest of the way.  Maybe the All-Star game in town brought in enough revenue to give them some money to spend.

I don't know what the ultimate cap is the Phillies brass is setting, but they probably know that they did not spend as much as they have to let it fall apart now.   In other words, their heavy investment will not pay dividends with a quick first round or Wild Card exit.  They need the Phillies to go deeper.

So I would think they are willing to spend some more.

I would hope that the Phillies, then, would put their chips in and try to win a World Series this year.