Phillies Trade Deadline Big Board: Who’s Off the Table and What Comes Next?

The Phillies are back from the All-Star break, and trade season is officially in full swing. With the deadline looming on July 31, Dave Dombrowski and company are preparing to make the kind of high-stakes decisions that could determine whether this team’s October ends in champagne showers or another gut-wrenching exit.

If you’ve been working off a list of dream targets for the Phillies, it’s time to cross a few names off and likely recalibrate expectations.

Stop Dreaming About Félix Bautista

Let’s start with the big one. Félix Bautista has been one of the most speculated Phillies targets for months. He’s under control through 2027, has a 2.41 ERA this year with 18 saves, and looks like he never missed a beat coming off Tommy John surgery.

In short, he’s a bullpen dream.

But according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles likely won’t trade him or lefty Trevor Rogers despite listening to offers. Baltimore is reportedly focused on moving its soon-to-be free agents instead, like Ryan O’Hearn.

The Phillies could make an offer strong enough to change their minds but if the O’s are clinging to 2026 as their next shot to compete, then trading Bautista now would require a massive overpay.

Aidan Miller and Mick Abel for a reliever coming off Tommy John might seem tempting but I’m going to chalk that one up as a risk that I’m not willing to take. It’s looking more and more like the Phillies will have to shop elsewhere for bullpen help.

Byron Buxton? Never Happening.

If you had Byron Buxton penciled in as a potential fix to the Phillies’ right-handed outfield issues, go ahead and tear that page out.

Buxton flat-out told reporters at the All-Star Game he’s not waiving his no-trade clause for anyone, not even his childhood favorite Braves.

“I’m a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life” – Byron Buxton

Whether that’s true long-term or not, it’s true for this deadline. Buxton has been electric when healthy, but he’s rarely healthy. He’s only played 100+ games twice in 11 years. Even with a .925 OPS this season, the Phillies can’t afford another injury-prone gamble in October.

Who’s Still in Play?

The Phillies need a star reliever, and they might need a middle-of-the-order bat. The good news is that there are still legit options out there.

Relievers Still in the Mix:

• Emmanuel Clase (CLE): Dominant, under control, but expensive.
• Jhoan Durán (MIN): Nasty stuff, injury history.
• Griffin Jax (MIN): More attainable, less dominant.
• Dennis Santana, Jake Bird, Kyle Finnegan, Chris Martin: Second-tier arms who’d still stabilize the ‘pen.

Matt Gelb reports the Phillies are open to moving big prospects for controllable relievers not named Andrew Painter.

Painter is still off-limits, but others are in play.

Right-Handed Bats Worth a Call:

• Luis Robert Jr. and Adolis García: Big swings, big risks.
• Taylor Ward or Jo Adell (Angels): More realistic, less flashy.
• Eugenio Suárez (ARI): NL-best 78 RBIs, 31 HRs — fits the cleanup role like a glove.

The Phillies don’t have enough right-handed power, and they’re 18th in MLB in home runs. That’s not good enough if October turns into a slugfest.

Either Way, Don’t Rule Out Justin Crawford

Crawford is crushing at Triple-A. A .331 AVG, 29 stolen bases, and a .407 OBP. He’s just 21 and oozes potential. He also hits a ton of ground balls, which limits his offensive upside.

Could he be the spark the Phillies need in center field down the stretch? Absolutely. Could he be the piece that brings back a Clase or Suárez? Also absolutely.

With Painter staying put, the Phillies might have no choice but to use Crawford as the centerpiece of a blockbuster.

On The Farm: Phillies’ prospects Aidan Miller, Justin Crawford heat up as deadline decisions loom

The Phillies Trading from the MLB Roster Seems Unlikely Too…

Unlikely for sure, but I’m not ready to rule it out completely. I’m looking directly at Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh.

• Bohm has cooled off. 8 HR, .723 OPS, decent defense but might be replaceable if the Phillies want to add a true slugger at third.
• Marsh has battled through inconsistency and still carries value as a high-energy, lefty-hitting outfielder with two years of team control left.

If Justin Crawford comes up and produces, Marsh could be expendable in the right deal. If Suárez or another third baseman is acquired, Bohm could be moved for bullpen help or packaged in a bigger trade.

Dave Dombrowski Has Some Work To Do

The Phillies don’t just need a splash, they need multiple moves to plug bullpen holes, juice up the lineup, and give this team a real shot in October. That starts with knowing who’s actually available and all things considered, Bautista and Buxton are not.

Tear up the old list. It’s time to shop smarter.

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