Matt Higgins
Two prominent relievers are no longer on the Philadelphia Phillies radar ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on paid leave amid a sports gambling investigation that first ensnared teammate Luis F. Ortiz. Also, Baltimore Orioles closer Felix Bautista, who has returned to his form after missing all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, is on the injured list with a right shoulder injury.
So who can the Phillies target now? Here are six high-leverage relievers who would help solidify their bullpen issues.
Ryan Helsley
With the St. Louis Cardinals fading in the National League Central standings, it’s likely they will deal two-time All-Star closer Ryan Helsley, who would be a rental as he’s a free agent at the end of the year. His fastball velocity ranks in the 99th percentile at 99.3 and he has struck out 26.1% of the batters he’s faced this season. Helsley has a 3.00 ERA in 36 games to go along with 21 saves. He would be the game-changing closer the Phillies have been searching for.
Cade Smith
With Clase off the market, the Guardians can still get a haul for right-handed reliever Cade Smith. The 26-year-old has struck out 65 across 45 innings and has a 3.20 ERA in 47 appearances. His fastball averages 96.4 mph and he has whiff and strikeout percentages of 34.7 and 33.3, respectively, that rank in the top 5% in baseball. Smith would be under team control through 2029, so the Phillies would have to pony up high-end prospects for him.
Jhoan Duran
Phillies fans are salivating over the prospects of Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran closing out games at Citizens Bank Park in October. The 27-year-old, whose fastball velocity is in the 100th percentile at 100.2 mph, has a 2.01 ERA in 49 appearances with 16 saves and 53 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings. He is in the top 1% in ground ball percentage at 65.9 and is in the 99th percentile in barrel percentage at 3.0. Duran is also under control through 2027 and would require a significant return from the Phillies for the Twins to part with him.
Griffin Jax
Duran’s teammate, Griffin Jax, has turned into a quality reliever. He leads baseball in chase percentage (40.6) and is in the 99th percentile in whiff (39.1) and strikeout (36.5) percentage. Jax has struck out 72 across 46 innings. Even though he is sporting a 3.91 ERA in 49 appearances, it mainly came early when he gave up 10 earned runs in 12 innings through April. Since then, he’s allowed 10 earned runs in 34 innings. The Phillies would have to give up top-tier assets as Jax is under control for the next two seasons.
David Bednar
If the Phillies want to stay in-state, they can try to pry closer David Bednar away from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The two-time All-Star has recovered from an abysmal start to the season, saving 17 games, posting a 2.37 ERA in 42 appearances and striking out 51 across 38 innings. Bednar’s fastball averages 97.1 mph and he strikes out 33.1% of the batters he faces. He has the swing-and-miss stuff the Phillies desperately need for their bullpen. On top of that, Bednar won’t be a free agent until after the 2026 season.
Dennis Santana
Bednar’s Pirates teammate, Dennis Santana, has also emerged as a strong reliever in 2025. His fastball might not blow hitters away (94.1 mph), but his chase percentage (36.6) ranks in the 99th percentile in baseball thanks to his devastating slider. He also has a 1.39 ERA and 0.838 WHIP in 45 appearances. If the Phillies want to go all in, adding both Bednar and Santana would solve their bullpen woes and give them one of the deeper relief corps going into October. Like Bednar, Santana won’t be a free agent until after the 2026 season.
Mason Miller
The Phillies were first linked to Mason Miller in the offseason when they reportedly offered third baseman Alec Bohm for the Athletics closer. That trade, for obvious reasons, did not happen. Miller’s ERA is over a run higher than his 2024 All-Star season (3.76 to 2.49) but that’s mainly because of a rough month of May where he gave up 10 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings. He’s only given up four earned runs since June 1, including none in the month of July. Miller still remains effective, topping all of baseball in fastball velocity (101.1) and strikeout percentage (39.1), while in the 99th percentile in expected batting average (.180) and whiff percentage (42.8). Miller won’t be a free agent until after the 2029 season, so if the Phillies want to pull off a blockbuster deal for him by July 31, they will have to offer much more than Bohm.
