What Should Be Phillies Priorities Ahead of Trade Deadline?

With Andrew McCutchen done for the 2019 season with a torn ACL, the Phillies now are without nine players due to injuries and seven of those on the Injured List are pitchers.  Even though the Phillies Pitching Staff has the sixth best ERA in the National League (4.26), they have the second worst Batting Average Against in the NL (.260) along with ranked fourth worst team WHIP (1.38).  Despite the Phillies offense taking major steps forward compared to last season, the pitching may be the weakest link with eight weeks until the MLB Trade Deadline.

PhillyVoice.com Phillies Writer and Forbes Baseball Contributor Kevin Cooney joined Mike Gill on Wednesday discussing what the Phillies need to address ahead of the July 31st Trade Deadline:

"(Phillies) still have some serious issues that have to be resolved. The bullpen needs beefing up and the problem is...bullpen is the one thing that usually breaks late at the (MLB Trade) Deadline. - But I think the Phillies have to address some of their other needs before (the bullpen)....Number one priority is a starting pitcher; You know they can try Adam Haseley for right now and there will be plenty of outfielders if they want to go fill that role....They need a left-handed starting pitcher more than anything else right now because all five of their starters give almost the exact same look every night at this point.  None of them are real overpowering, none of them are going to wow you. - (Aaron) Nola has not performed well, (Jake) Arrieta has been inconsistent; They need to get a left-hander that will make everybody in the rotation better because it will keep (opponents) a little bit off balance.  Right now, these teams are just kind of digging in on the Phillies, knowing exactly what's coming.”

Checkout what Cooney had to say about Aaron Nola in 2019, Phillies trade assets, if Craig Kimbrell is a viable option, and more