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The Philadelphia Phillies have a roster that, on paper, is good enough to win the 2025 World Series.
But the Fall Classic isn't won in May and, as the season continues, we're starting to see areas that Philadelphia will need to address before the MLB Trade Deadline on July 31.
Unlike many teams, it doesn't start in the starting rotation for the Phillies. As it stands, they have six starting pitchers on their active roster, led by last year's Cy Young runner-up, Zack Wheeler. Provided Ranger Suarez can get his feet back under him after missing the first chunk of the season to injury, Philadelphia is deep enough there that one of those starters can even help address a bullpen that lacks depth.
The back-end of the pen is strong, led by Jose Alvarado, Tanner Banks and Matt Strahm. But that trio needs help. The Phillies rank 22nd in the Majors in bullpen ERA as of May 13 and 25th in opponents' batting average. Phillies starters have averaged between five and six innings per start, which is about what you'd expect from a strong rotation, but that still leaves plenty of outs for the relief corps to secure each night.
On offense, it would behoove the Phillies to take more of a wait-and-see approach. The spots that aren't producing (or just aren't producing enough) all have players who have proven themselves before. That includes a starting outfield that has combined for only 11 home runs over 41 games.
With the MLB trade deadline still months away, here's an early look at some players the Phillies might target.
The Phillies may need a third baseman to replace Alec Bohm
Alec Bohm has struggled more than perhaps any other Phillies position player in 2025. One year after his first All-Star selection, Bohm has just one home run in 2025. He's hitting for a .618 OPS and has been below replacement value by both FanGraphs‘ and Baseball Reference's measurements.
There's plenty of time for Bohm to figure it out, but if he doesn't, the Phillies can look at a player like Luis Urias for help. The veteran infielder is on a one-year deal with the Athletics and is making the most of it so far. He's played in 29 of his team's 41 games, hitting for an .829 OPS in that time.
The catch is that the A's are 21-20, only 1.5 games out of first place in the AL West. It's possible that the team that lost 93 games last year won't be in sell mode, but it's still early.
The Phillies can also benefit from another outfield bat
The outfield market might be a little bigger than the third base market but it's even less clear as of now what the Phillies will want to do. Brandon Marsh returned from injury on May 3 and has been good in seven games since (.414 BA, 3 doubles), but he's still hitting only .186 with one home run.
Overall, Phillies outfielders rank 23rd in baseball with a 94 wRC+, 19th with a .383 slugging percentage and 22nd with a .307 wOBA.
Here's the problem: There might not be an outfield slugger available that can obviously plug a hole, and Philadelphia might have to roll the dice. Luis Robert Jr. is struggling this season, hitting only .186 with a 78 OPS+. His 15 stolen bases help take some sting away from him only having eight extra-base hits, but it's a stretch to say Robert can be the bat that fortifies the Phillies outfield.
Or is it? Robert is still only two years removed from hitting 38 home runs for the Chicago White Sox in 2023. He also hit a combined 40 in the two seasons prior in which he played in only 166 games.
Kevin Long is one of the most respected hitting coaches in the game and it might be worth it to see if he can unlock something.
Steven Matz can return to the NL East
The Phillies need bullpen depth to get them through the middle innings. Who better to provide that than a reliever who has been dominant this year, can pitch multiple innings and is familiar with the NL East?
Now with the St. Louis Cardinals, ex-Met Steven Matz has a 1.35 ERA in 11 appearances in 2025 with nine coming out of the bullpen. He's shown pinpoint control, walking three batters in 26.2 innings. And while Phillies relievers have allowed 17 home runs this year, Matz has not allowed any.
Matz will be a free agent at the end of the season, making him an affordable rental. Meanwhile the Cardinals have a stable of solid relievers they could look to move — if they decide they're sellers.
