The Philadelphia Phillies have the 11th-best starting pitcher ERA in baseball this year, but that is being carried by the top of their rotation.
The team has a 7.33 ERA from its fifth rotation spot and is 5-20 in games not started by Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo or Aaron Nola. If they want to win the National League, they need another arm, and according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury, they know that.
"The Phillies are actively looking to trade for a back-end starting pitcher," wrote Salisbury on Monday. "If they can’t pull off a deal before Saturday, they could bring up 32-year-old right-hander Brian Keller from Triple A. Keller has pitched in the Red Sox and Yankees organizations. He spent time in Japan, had Tommy John surgery, and signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies in May. He has allowed just two runs in his last four starts while going six innings in three of them."
Luckily for the Phillies, there is no shortage of starting pitching available this summer. Freddy Peralta, Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano could all be on the move. However, if the Phillies are looking for a back-end starter, they may not be looking to overpay. They could target a team like the Seattle Mariners or Milwaukee Brewers, who may be willing to deal from their depth.
Casey Mize and Foster Griffin are also players for the Phillies to keep an eye on. Both will be free agents after the season ends, and both would be massive upgrades for the Phillies' rotation.