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The Philadelphia Phillies know they have two major needs at the trade deadline that is approximately six weeks away: relievers and center field.
Dave Dombrowski has his hands full to give the Phillies their best chance of success as they push for the National League East title. Both positions may not be able to be addressed, but a lot can change.
Former baseball general manager Jim Bowden predicted they could fill both of those holes in this recent mock trade for The Athletic.
“The Phillies’ two biggest needs are closer and center field, and this scenario would hit both in one swap, even though it would come at a significant price,” wrote Bowden.
Here is the full trade:
- Phillies receive: OF Cedric Mullins, RHP Felix Bautista
- Orioles receive: RHP Mick Abel
Phillies fans can be heard screaming across the country for the organization not to trade Abel. He’s done well so far in his time in the big leagues, and teams can never have too much pitching. (Just ask the Dodgers.) However, Bowden still believes it’s a deal worth pursuing for both teams.
“The Orioles would address their key need, young controllable starting pitching, in acquiring Abel, a 23-year-old who has a chance to become an ace if he continues to develop and his command and control improve. … It would be tough for the Phillies to lose Abel, their first-round pick in 2020, but with a strong rotation and top prospect Andrew Painter, a future ace, on track to debut this summer, they might be willing to do this deal if they think Bautista and Mullins are the final pieces needed to win the World Series,” wrote Bowden.
Bautista would give the Phillies a long-term answer at closer while they could look to extend Mullins beyond this year. Abel would be a steep price, but Dombrowski knows better than anyone that coughing up a big piece like Abel is necessary to bolster the roster.
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