Phillies and Blue Jays Could Be Perfect Trade Partners

Varsho, 30, is a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder with multiple 20-homer seasons under his belt. After posting a career-best .833 OPS over 71 games in 2025, the lefty bat has come back to earth offensively this year. Through 95 games, he is hitting .245/.307/.379 (.686 OPS) with seven home runs and 25 RBIs.

Longtime Phillies fans likely remember Varsho’s father, Gary, who had stints with the team as both a player and a coach. He named his son after Darren Daulton, the three-time All-Star catcher who was his teammate on the 1995 Phillies.

Acquiring the younger Varsho would help the Phillies address their need in center field. He remains one of MLB’s rangiest defenders, ranking in the 91st percentile with +5 Outs Above Average this season. His contract is set to expire after the season, which may lower Toronto’s asking price.

Straw, 31, is another strong defender capable of handling center field. The 5-foot-9 righty bat does not offer as much offensive upside as Varsho, owning just a .584 OPS through 94 games this year and a .628 OPS over his nine-year career. That said, his 98th-percentile sprint speed makes him a weapon on the basepaths, and the cost to acquire him should be relatively low.

Philadelphia is led by interim manager Don Mattingly, who served as the Blue Jays’ bench coach from 2023 to 2025. Bannon noted that Mattingly’s familiarity with Toronto’s clubhouse dynamic and what Straw can bring off the bench could be a factor in facilitating a potential trade.

There are plenty more connections between the two clubs. Hoffman, of course, had the best two years of his career in Philadelphia before signing a three-year, $33 million deal with the Blue Jays in January 2025. The former All-Star recorded 33 saves in his first year with Toronto but was removed from the closer role this April after posting a 7.59 ERA in his first 12 appearances.

Since then, Hoffman has been much more effective. The 33-year-old right-hander has posted a 3.06 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over his last 37 appearances, recording 48 strikeouts in 35.1 innings.

The Phillies entered Wednesday ranking 24th in bullpen ERA (4.39), so relief help is certainly high on their list of needs going into the trade deadline. They also need another starter to deepen the rotation, especially considering they have not gotten a win from the No. 5 spot since May 18.

Gausman, 35, is certainly an intriguing candidate to help fill that need. While the two-time All-Star is not having his best season, he did take a step in the right direction during his latest outing Sunday, allowing three runs on five hits with six strikeouts in six innings.

Through 22 starts this season, Gausman is 4-10 with a 4.51 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 9.1 K/9 rate over 121.1 innings. He does have an eight-team no-trade list, but that list reportedly does not include the Phillies. It is worth noting that the right-hander unlocked his fastball/splitter combo in 2019 as a member of the Cincinnati Reds while working with current Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham.

The Blue Jays have not made many trades with the Phillies since Ross Atkins took over as general manager in 2015. However, with Toronto (49-59) sitting in last place and Philadelphia (57-52) trying to hold onto a Wild Card spot, the two sides match up well for a potential deal.