As the Philadelphia Phillies gear up for Tuesday night’s clash with division rival New York Mets, they find themselves in second place in the NL East—but not without some red flags. Despite a solid standing, the team’s first month has been marred by glaring issues, prompting speculation that big moves could be on the horizon. According to ESPN’s MLB insider David Schoenfield, Philadelphia may be eyeing two former All-Stars to help steady the ship.
The bullpen has been nothing short of a disaster so far, ranking 29th in ERA, 25th in WHIP (1.53), and dead last in opponents’ batting average (.287). Free-agent acquisition Jordan Romano has been particularly alarming, posting a sky-high 15.26 ERA. He nearly turned a comfortable 11-4 lead into a meltdown on Saturday against the Marlins, giving up six runs in a nail-biting ninth inning.
Offensive struggles are piling up, especially from the right side of the plate. Alec Bohm, an All-Star starter just last year, is batting a dismal .193 with a .472 OPS—and still hasn’t left the yard once this season. He’s not alone in his slump: catcher J.T. Realmuto is hitting .231 with a .654 OPS, while shortstop Trea Turner has managed just one homer.
Center field has been another black hole in the lineup. Brandon Marsh is hitting an abysmal .095 and has an OPS of just .387. Now sidelined with a hamstring strain, he’ll need a reset before rejoining the squad.
To stay in the postseason hunt, the Phillies are expected to pursue reinforcements—and Schoenfield points to two big names: Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado and White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr.
“Alec Bohm is struggling with the Phillies… It’s a long list of teams that could use help at third base,” Schoenfield notes, adding that if St. Louis agrees to eat some of Arenado’s contract, a deal could be within reach.
As for center field, Robert could be the fix despite his shaky offensive numbers. “Even if the bat doesn’t fully bounce back, his elite defense makes him valuable,” Schoenfield writes. He lists several teams in the market for a center fielder, including the Phillies, Mets, Tigers, and Guardians.
Of course, Arenado has a no-trade clause and already declined a trade to Houston this past offseason, so he’ll have the final say. Robert’s production has taken a dip too—he hit just .224 in 2024 and has started 2025 even colder, slashing .145/.268/.246.
Still, the potential upside is there. Arenado is owed $21 million this season, with reduced salaries through 2027. Robert, meanwhile, comes with two club options at $20 million a year through 2027.
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