Philadelphia Phillies Flame-Throwing Trade Target Predicted To Be Moved

The Philadelphia Phillies bullpen would answer all of their questions if they landed the right-hander.

May 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Philadelphia Phillies hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies could be in the mix for some bullpen help this winter, as they have a few free agents on their current roster who might not be on the team in 2025.

There are a few issues with them doing so, as there are other areas the team will need to improve, but the back end of their bullpen is very important, and the team learned that the hard way in the postseason in 2024.

One could argue that the coaching staff didn't do the right job managing the bullpen late in games during the playoffs, but at the end of the day, the guys they rolled out there didn't get the job done, which was an issue. 

There are a few free agents on the market, but many are looking at decently sized contracts. The Phillies could always bring in a guy with above-average stuff who hasn't put up good numbers, as that often is a risk worth taking.

If those guys come in, do what's needed, and their stuff plays the way it could, they might've found a cheap option. It isn't a bad idea, but again, there would be some risk to it. 

If Philadelphia wants to make a big splash, they should have a few options on the trade market. None more notable than Mason Miller, the flamethrower who's young and can reach 100-plus miles per hour with relative ease. 

Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac named him a trade candidate, talking about how valuable he'd be to a team due to his contract. 

"The 26-year-old closer is still the pre-arbitration portion of his team control, with 5 more years remaining before free agency. It’ll take an A++ offer to get the Athletics to pick up the phone and move on from this kind of financial value."

Because of Miller's contract situation, the Phillies shouldn't expect to get off easy. In fact, there wouldn't be much of a reason to trade him unless a team like Philadelphia would be willing to give a massive haul. He's the type of arm who might be worth it, however, as he was legitimately unhittable for much of the year.

There's also a scenario where the youngster could return to the rotation. He worked as a closer in 2024, but in prior campaigns, he had a ton of work as a starter.

That wouldn't be the worst idea, but it's important to note that he's dealt with arm injuries, which could mean he's more of a back-end of the bullpen guy for short-inning work throughout the remainder of his career.