Starting pitching has been one of the Philadelphia Phillies' strengths for several years now, but their rotation has a glaring hole right now.
Four of the five Phillies starters have been fantastic to this point. But Aaron Nola, who is only in the second season of a seven-year, $172 million extension, has been one of the worst qualified starters in baseball to this point.
Before going on the injured list with an ankle sprain this week, Nola went 1-7 with a 6.16 ERA in nine starts. It's possible he could rebound by the end of the season, but Philadelphia may be in search of an insurance policy between now and the trade deadline.
Meanwhile, if the Toronto Blue Jays decide to sell, one baseball writer believes a former All-Star starting pitcher could be headed to Philadelphia.
On Friday, Drew VonScio of Newsweek named Blue Jays veteran Chris Bassitt, who is in the final season of a three-year, $63 million contract, as a top trade fit for Philadelphia ahead of the Jul. 31. deadline.
"Bassitt is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, making him a prime candidate to be dealt if the Blue Jays fall off," VonScio wrote. "If that happens, the Phillies should be pursuing Bassitt to bolster the pitching staff ahead of a potential playoff run."
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"Through nine starts this season, Bassitt has recorded a 3.16 ERA with 55 strikeouts for the Blue Jays. His pitching has certainly helped keep Toronto alive in a competitive American League East division."
Not only has Bassitt been very good for Toronto this year, but he's consistently posted starts and innings, something every playoff-bound team needs through the dog days of August. He's made at least 25 starts every year since 2019, excluding the 60-game 2020 season.
A move would certainly be contingent on the Blue Jays falling farther out of the playoff hunt, but there's reason to believe Philadelphia would be very interested.
More MLB: Blue Jays-Tigers trade idea sees Toronto cut ties with $33 million two-time All-Star