Every season has to be akin to Groundhog Day at this point for the Philadelphia Phillies.
They entered this season with high expectations, a revamped bullpen, and a goal to reach the postseason, just the same as in years past. And again, they find themselves hovering around .500, in third place in the division, and with the same issues as always. Something has to change, and the answer to that was not Joe Girardi.
Three trade targets for Philadelphia Phillies
And yet, there is still hope. The Mets are being hit by injuries and are sliding back to the pack. A bullpen shuffle is underway again, but the Phillies have responded to Girardi being fired. It is enough of a reason to hope that maybe, just maybe, they can sneak into a Wild Card spot. However, it will take a lot of work.
The Philadelphia Phillies have a lot of holes to fill if they want to return to the postseason. Let’s take a look at some potential trade targets.
David Robertson
David Robertson was a part of the Philadelphia Phillies attempts to revamp their bullpen before.
He had received a two year deal with an option for a third year, nominally to help solidify the ninth inning. Instead, he battled injuries, making just seven appearances over the life of his contract, all of which came in 2019. For that time, he received $23 million, ranking him high atop the Phillies’ bullpen bust list.
And yet, he could end up being a part of the answer again. The Phillies are going to a “closer by committee” approach, which just means that they do not have anyone for the ninth. Brad Hand is likely to take that role over, but it does not hurt to have other options just in case.
Now that Robertson is healthy once again, he could be the solution. He has posted a 1.59 ERA and a 0.971 WHiP in his 22.2 innings, striking out 32 batters with ten walks. Even if he does not end up as their closer, he could be a high leverage arm who can help bridge the gap to the ninth inning. The Phillies could desperately use that type of pitcher.
David Robertson did not work out in his stint with the Philadelphia Phillies. Maybe the second time would be the charm.