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Phillies trade deadline updates: Philly scouts Mets pitcher; Orioles slugger on the market?; Latest news and rumors

The Phillies are looking for bullpen help and a possible bat ahead of the MLB trade deadline at 6 p.m.

Phillies president Dave Dombrowski is looking at his options as the MLB trade deadline winds down.
Phillies president Dave Dombrowski is looking at his options as the MLB trade deadline winds down.Read more
Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
What you should know

  1. All eyes are on the Phillies ahead of the MLB trade deadline at 6 p.m. Monday. They continue to pursue a right-handed bat, a late-inning reliever, and a starting pitcher, according to multiple league sources.

  2. The Dodgers traded for reigning back-to-back Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Columnist David Murphy described it as a humbling deal for the Phillies.

  3. As for bullpen help, the Phillies have been linked to Jeff Hoffman, who pitched in Philly two seasons.

  4. Orioles slugger Taylor Ward fits the Phillies’ needs, but is he even on the market?

Phillies scouted Mets pitcher Clay Holmes

Mets right-hander Clay Holmes made three minor league starts in his recovery from a right leg fracture.

The Phillies scouted all of them.

Holmes, who threw 73 pitches Sunday for high-A Brooklyn, was the Mets' best starter until he got hit by a comebacker on May 15. The 33-year-old is uniquely suited to help the Phillies address their pitching needs on multiple levels.

Could Bryan De La Cruz be a trade-day alternative?

Last year, on the eve of the deadline, the Phillies completed a massive trade for star closer Jhoan Duran during a rain delay.

They had two downpours Sunday to make another splash.

No such luck.

Orioles slugger Taylor Ward fits the Phillies’ needs. But is he on the market?

Outfielders who are productive from the right side of the plate and potentially available in this trade market are almost as rare as a Mickey Mantle rookie card.

The Phillies just got an up-close look at one of them.

The Orioles’ Taylor Ward would be a fit for the Phillies, who were last in the majors with a .279 on-base mark and .639 OPS from their right-handed hitters.

Other right-hitting outfield options for the Phillies

Dave Dombrowski convened more than a dozen executives, analysts, and scouts in Baltimore for the weekend. They continue to pursue a right-handed bat, a late-inning reliever, and a starting pitcher, according to multiple league sources.

In addition to Orioles slugger Taylor Ward, the Phillies are exploring other righty-hitting outfield options.

Among them are Angels’ Jo Adell, the Dodgers’ Alex Call, and the Giants’ Heliot Ramos.

Phillies linked to a familiar face

The trade deadline is just hours away — 6 p.m. Monday — and Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is trying to fill multiple needs.

Chief among them: late-inning relief, which was amplified by Friday night’s seventh-inning meltdown.

The Phillies have been linked to old friend Jeff Hoffman, who has a 4.02 ERA for the Blue Jays but also has given up two earned runs in 19⅔ innings since June 9.

Latest MLB trade deals includes the Braves adding a starter

Here are some notable MLB trades that have happened so far, according to team announcements and multiple reports:

  1. Braves land starter Tyler Mahle: The veteran right hander heads to his fifth team, while the Giants receive Anthony Molina.

  2. White Sox trade for Huascar Brazobán: In exchange, the selling Mets landed two prospects, per reports – starter Gabe Davis and reliever Zach Franklin.

  3. Cubs acquire veteran pitcher Kevin Gausman: The Cubs land a starter while sending the Blue Jays two prospects – infielder Ty Southisene and outfielder Brett Bateman

— Rob Tornoe

Dodgers landing Tarik Skubal is humbling to the Phillies

Nobody wants to admit it, but the Dodgers deserve Tarik Skubal.

Los Angeles landed him the old fashioned way. They drafted, developed, traded, and signed their way to a circumstance where they could trade a highly valued outfield prospect for three months of service that will only pad their odds of completing a three-peat that they were favored to accomplish anyway.

That’s what you should focus on. The dignity of the deal. Not the Dodgers’ myriad of other competitive advantages. The endless payroll. The creative accounting. The market size, location, and glitz. None of them matter as much as the fundamentals. The Dodgers are simply better at identifying and nurturing talent than any other organization. To focus on anything else is to give your own organization a pass.

What time is the MLB trade deadline?

The MLB trade deadline is Monday at 6 p.m.

Historically, the trade deadline always fell on July 31, but commissioner Rob Manfred is able to set the deadline any day between July 28 and Aug. 3, so it avoids falling on a weekend and doesn't conflict with any games.

After the trade deadline expires, players on 40-man rosters can no longer be traded from club to club. Players can still be placed and claimed on outright waivers.