The One Trade That Could Fix Both of the Phillies’ Biggest Weaknesses at Once

The Phillies are sitting at 54-43, just two games back in the NL East, and if you squint you can almost see a World Series run forming. But anyone watching the first half knows there are holes. Specifically, two of them: the lineup needs a right-handed bat who can actually hit, and the rotation could use another arm. So what if Philadelphia solved both problems with one phone call to San Francisco?

The Giants are expected to be sellers before the deadline. And while their biggest names — guys like Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers — might generate headlines, none of them really fit what the Phillies need. Bryce Harper is willing to move back to the outfield, but adding Devers would just give them another left-handed hitter. Trea Turner has shortstop locked down, so Adames is redundant. Chapman is banged up right now and wouldn’t be a clear offensive upgrade over Alec Bohm anyway.

The name to watch is Casey Schmitt. He’s not the flashiest option out there, but he plays third base, he hits right-handed and he’s already better than Bohm at the plate. Plus, he’s under team control through 2028. Bohm is a free agent after 2026. That math matters.

On the pitching side, the Phillies should be looking at Robbie Ray. He’s a rental, which comes with risk, but the Phillies are trying to win a championship this year, not four years from now. Ray has a 3.38 ERA over 19 starts with 90 strikeouts in 106.2 innings. He hasn’t been dominant, but he’s been solid. And in a postseason series, a rotation of Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo and Ray looks a lot better than what they’d roll out right now.

What would it actually cost?

This is where it gets tricky. If the Phillies want both Schmitt and Ray, they’re going to have to give up something real. Andrew Painter — the former top prospect who has dealt with injuries but still has huge upside — might be the kind of name that gets San Francisco’s attention. Would Philly include him? Probably not if they’re also trying to keep their top three prospects. But a package built around Painter plus either infielder Aroon Escobar or outfielder Dante Nori (the team’s No. 4 and No. 5 prospects) could be enough.

Ray is a rental, and that’s a gamble. But the Dodgers are waiting in October, and the Phillies won’t beat them without either a deeper rotation or a more balanced lineup. This trade would help with both. It’s a bold prediction, sure. But it also just makes sense.