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Phillies Trade Idea Lands Two-Time World Series Champion Closer

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Douglas Santo | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 3:30 PM ET

The backend of the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen has been a puzzle piece that Philadelphia has been unable to solve in 2025. Closer Jose Alvarado was suspended for 80 games for using performance-enhancing drugs 20 games into the season. With the suspension, he is also ineligible to pitch in the postseason.

Alvarado delivered 23 saves for the Phillies across the last two seasons with a 1.74 ERA in 2023. However, the suspension left Philadelphia searching for answers, and they haven't found a reliable one yet.

Philadelphia has six pitchers on their roster with a save this season, including Alvarado, who secured seven saves before his suspension. Jordan Romano leads the team with eight saves on 10 opportunities.

However, Romano has started the season with a 7.40 ERA and hasn't had a save opportunity since May, seemingly losing the trust of his manager.

Four other Phillies pitchers have combined for the other five saves, including starter Taijuan Walker and former starter Matt Strahm.

Strahm, Walker, and Tanner Banks all have an ERA in the 3.60s range, but the late innings have been more difficult. The three have been successful on just four of their nine save opportunities.

The Phillies need a lockdown closer if they want to make a run in the playoffs again, and there are a few names out there they could go after before the trade deadline.

Two-time World Series champion and seven-time All-Star Aroldis Chapman is one of them. Chapman has always been a dominant closer in his 15-year MLB career, but he's been stellar with the Boston Red Sox in 2025.

After six seasons with the New York Yankees and three All-Star appearances, Chapman bounced around the league for a few years. Boston signed him at age 37 and has gotten some of the best production of his career with 11 saves so far in 2025.

At 37 years old, Aroldis Chapman is still bringing the HEAT pic.twitter.com/NReLic4wer
— MLB (@MLB) April 10, 2025

Chapman could be a massive addition to the Phillies' bullpen to give them a reliable closer and depth. Philadelphia could let their other relievers go back to less stressful innings where they performed well, and give the ninth inning to a proven player in the clutch.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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