Phillies Can Keep Mets at Bay in NL East Race Addressing This Need Ahead of Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies look like they are going to be in a battle with the New York Mets for supremacy in the National League East this season.

Both teams have spent time atop the division, swapping back and forth throughout the year and taking full advantage of the Atlanta Braves' surprising struggles.

Entering play on June 23, the Phillies hold a one-game lead over the Mets after taking two out of three against them in a weekend series.

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With New York slumping, losing eight of their last nine contests, this is the time for Philadelphia to put the pedal to the metal and start building a little bit of a cushion in the standings.

However, if the Phillies want to remain ahead of the Mets, they are going to have to beat them off the field as well.

With a few weeks until the MLB trade deadline, a clear need has developed for Philadelphia; they need a high-leverage relief pitcher.

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The losses of Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez this past winter in free agency have been felt. Their replacements -- Jordan Romano, Carlos Hernandez and Joe Ross -- have not gotten the job done consistently.

Adding to the team’s troubles in the bullpen is closer Jose Alvardo serving an 80-game suspension and being deemed ineligible for the playoffs.

That has put a lot of pressure on Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm to step up as two of manager Rob Thomson’s trusted relievers late in games.

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Either other guys in the bullpen have to start improving their performances, or Dave Dombrowski is going to have to hit the trade market and find an upgrade externally.

“While Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm and Jordan Romano can be part of the solution—and there's a chance the Phillies could convert some of their excess starting pitching into bullpen help later in the year—this feels like a team that needs a bullpen anchor,” wrote Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report.

A recent adjustment to the pecking order has yielded some positive results, with Kerkering taking on a more prominent role late in games to convert saves and Romano pitching earlier in the seventh inning.

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But that shouldn’t deter the front office from bringing in help, since another arm was needed even before Alvarado’s suspension.

It will be interesting to see how things play out because the Phillies are going to be going head-to-head with the Mets in search of a late-game relief pitcher.

Whichever team lands their guy could be the difference between first and second place in the division.

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