The Philadelphia Phillies remain one of the top teams in the National League. At 54-39, they lead the NL East over the New York Mets by 1 1/2 games.
Philadelphia does have some issues that they will want to address at the trade deadline, however. They need help in their bullpen and also could use a right-handed outfield bat.
Plenty of options will be available in the coming weeks, and the Phillies will be able to choose what suits them best down the stretch.
In The Athletic’s latest big board of the Top 40 trade candidates, Minnesota Twins outfielder Harrison Bader was listed as a fit for the Phillies.
“This trade market could be thin on outfielders, especially right-handed-hitting outfielders. Bader could help fill that void. He remains a very strong defender, capable of playing left, right or center, and he’s been a slightly above-league-average hitter with enough power to be dangerous. He also can still run a little bit. The total package is a solid outfield regular.”
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Bader is hitting .249/.327/.433 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, eight stolen bases, a 2.1 WAR and a .760 OPS. He won a Gold Glove with the St. Louis Cardinals back in 2021.
The 31-year-old outfielder provides power from the right side of the plate and can still play elite defense. The Phillies haven’t gotten much production out of their outfield this year.
Bader could certainly change that as the Phillies try and add pieces to bolster their roster for a run down the stretch.
He won’t be a terribly expensive trade piece, but the Phillies would benefit from having a power-hitting right-handed outfielder in their mix.
The team is still being chased by the Mets, and any move they make could help them pull away and take the NL East.
We’ll see if Philadelphia shows interest in Bader.
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