The Philadelphia Phillies suffered a brutal sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers in a reminder of just how challenging the marathon baseball season can be.
After emerging as the best team in the National League East division in the first third of the season, the Phillies have lost their top spot to the New York Mets as their offense suddenly fell flat without Bryce Harper in the lineup. The team faces significant pressure to make good on its World Series aspirations this season and it might be willing to do whatever it takes to get there as several stars, including Kyle Schwarber, JT Realmuto and Ranger Suarez, face the prospect of free agency.
As the Phillies assess potential upgrades at the trade deadline, they might now consider a high-profile option from the Boston Red Sox after news hit that the team is receiving trade interest on reigning All-Star Jarren Duran. Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported that the San Diego Padres are eyeing Duran in a sign of just how badly the Red Sox fortunes have changed.
Suddenly, it seems the Red Sox are heading toward seller status at the deadline, and Dylan Sanders of On SI has identified third baseman Alex Bregman as another “prime candidate” for a trade.
“If things continue down this path, they could become sellers at the deadline, and Bregman is a prime candidate to be traded,” Sanders wrote. “The Phillies’ need for Bregman has become painfully obvious. Alec Bohm looked like he had finally arrived to the level of perennial All-Star that was hoped for early last season, but hasn’t been able to keep it up.”
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With a roster of highly-paid veterans like Harper, Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos, the Phillies don’t have a lot of room for a significant upgrade. But swapping Bohm out for Bregman, who won a Gold Glove Award at third base for the Houston Astros last year, would add an instant boost and Bregman’s contract makes him an interesting fit.
He signed a three-year, $120 million deal to join the Red Sox but it includes an opt out after this year and a player option after 2026. That gives Bregman some flexibility and it’s the kind of short- to medium-term deal that might appeal to the Phillies as they look to capitalize on a closing contention window.
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