Moves are coming soon for the Philadelphia Phillies.
In a high-stakes season, the Phillies are certainly National League pennant contenders. But you’d be hard-pressed to call them the favorites, as they currently trail the New York Mets by five games for the NL East lead.
Whether it’s a closer, another outfielder, or even one more starting pitcher, the Phillies can be expected to add some big names between now and the Jul. 31 trade deadline. But you don’t get something good without giving up something good.
The Phillies will need to sort out which players they believe are expendable in trade negotiations, both at the major league level and in their farm system. One player hovering in between those categories could be on the chopping block.
On Thursday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic discussed top pitching prospect Mick Abel’s future with the franchise, hinting that there is a decent chance the 23-year-old could be used as a trade chip.
“This qualifies as a good problem for the Phillies to solve, considering how much Mick Abel’s stock has risen following a forgettable 2024 season. He’s pitched with conviction in the majors. He has emerged as a more confident strike-thrower; it is a transformation that could entice other clubs,” Gelb wrote.
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“If the Phillies retain Abel, he’d still be on the outside of an initial 2026 rotation projection. The Phillies have Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Nola under contract, with Jesús Luzardo and (Andrew) Painter under club control. All of this must factor into the calculus the Phillies use in assessing Abel’s place in the organization.”
Painter, who has yet to debut in the majors, is considered a better prospect than Abel by just about everyone. It’s likely he’ll debut later this season, which could affect Abel’s roster status if he’s still around by then.
Abel has a 2.35 ERA in three major league starts, striking out 14 batters in 15 1/3 innings. He will likely take the ball in the Phillies’ series next week against the Miami Marlins, but manager Rob Thomson has yet to determine the rotation beyond this weekend.
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