Philadelphia Phillies Trade Target Will 'Take an Overpay' to Land

The Philadelphia Phillies could have to move a massive haul to land one of the top relievers on the market.

Jun 15, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Kyle Finnegan (67) reacts after the final out against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park. / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies have been aggressive in the trade market, as Dave Dombrowski has done an excellent job of landing players of need. After trading for Carlos Estevez and Austin Hays, it's uncertain how much more they'll do, but the rumors haven't slowed down about the Phillies.

While they've struggled a bit recently, they're still one of the top teams in baseball, if not the best. Dombrowski and the rest of the front office understand that, so expect them to explore every scenario they can to get better.

They're also still loaded with assets, making another deal or two possible.

Relief help should still be a priority, even after landing Estevez. Having a solid bullpen in October means a ton, as it could be the reason they win or lose in the postseason.

One name that's been linked to Philadelphia throughout the past few months is Kyle Finnegan, a relief pitcher for the Washington Nationals. Finnegan has thrown well this year, posting a 2.47 ERA and 0.98 WHIP with 44 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings pitched.

He'd be an excellent addition, but according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Nationals are asking for more than what the Phillies paid for Estevez for him.

"The Nationals are asking for more for their closer, Kyle Finnegan, than the Angels got for Estévez, but are also taking the position that they don’t have to trade him. (Finnegan is under team control through the 2025 season.) So if a team wants him, it’s going to take an overpay, even more than what the Phillies paid for Estévez."

Philadelphia does have the farm system to overpay for Finnegan, but they might be better off finding a different relief pitcher for a better price. If they're going to move some of their top prospects, it might not make much sense to do so for a reliever unless it's Mason Miller.

They don't have to go out and trade for anyone else, as this team is one that could win the World Series, but that'd bring some risk, too.

If they believe that Finnegan would help put them over the top in the National League, then moving prospects is the right decision. If they end up winning the World Series, and he plays a big part in that, no one is going to question the trade they made, even if multiple prospects were moved in the process.