Could Phillies Complete Blockbuster Trade with Guardians?

The Philadelphia Phillies are heading into the All-Star break right in the mix for the No. 1 seed in the National League.

With a record of 55-41, they are a half-game ahead of the New York Mets in the NL East, two games behind the NL Central leading Chicago Cubs and 2.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are atop the NL West.

The Phillies are legitimate World Series contenders with how talented their starting rotation is, but they would improve their odds if they could address some of the other weaknesses that exist on the roster.

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Right now, their No. 1 priority is adding a relief pitcher to the mix who has late-game and high-leverage experience. 

With Jose Alvarado ineligible for the postseason because of his suspension, the team needs to add at least one more arm to help the backend of the bullpen, especially with Jordan Romano struggling so much.

It wouldn’t hurt Philadelphia to find some help for the outfield, where things are a little messy still, especially in left field.

Max Kepler has not had the kind of impact the team had hoped for, creating a sizable void in the lineup. He would be better suited as a platoon player and defensive replacement for Nick Castellanos in right field late in games.

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Addressing both of those needs in one deal is easier said than done, but there is one team the Phillies would engage in trade talks with and at least attempt to do so: the Cleveland Guardians.

There have been rumors swirling that the Guardians could entertain trade offers for two of their best players: closer Emmanuel Clase and left fielder Steven Kwan.

What could deals for the dynamic duo look like?

If the Phillies were willing to put star prospect Aidan Miller on the table, he makes for an even swap, surplus value wise, according to Baseball Trade Value, straight up for Clase.

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When Kwan is added into the mix, finding a trade package that works is a little more complicated value wise.

A big reason for that is Mick Abel has a surplus of only 5.2, but as a rookie starting pitcher, his value could be much higher than that to a cost-conscious team such as Cleveland.

It would be hard to envision Philadelphia being willing to include both of their top prospects in such a deal, but Abel, Miller and another top-10 prospect, infielder Aroon Escobar, would close the value gap considerably.

Adding another prospect, such as outfielder Griffin Burkholder, closes the value gap even more.

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Abel, Miller, Escobar and Burkholder for Clase and Kwan is a deal both sides could be happy with, possibly with a lower-tier prospect or two being added to make the deal come up even surplus value wise.

With Clase and Kwan both under contract through at least 2026, with the star closer having an option for 2027-28 and Kwan not hitting free agency until after the 2028 campaign, it will not be cheap to acquire them.

But, the Phillies do have the resources to pull off a deal should they feel that duo puts them over the top as title contenders.

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