Phillies open second half hosting Mets as trade deadline looms

Bullpen carries an 8.05 ERA in July, MLB's second-most walks

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 162 min read

What happened: The Phillies return from the All-Star break to host the Mets Thursday night, with Aaron Nola on the mound and Philadelphia leading the series 2-1. Bryce Harper said at All-Star media day that ownership is prepared to spend before the August 3 trade deadline to address roster needs.

Why it matters: Philadelphia's bullpen ranks 25th in MLB with a 5.21 ERA since June 1 and 29th with an 8.05 ERA in July, walking 5.45 batters per nine over that stretch — second-most in the league. Jose Alvarado has struggled in high-leverage innings, and Brad Keller, signed to pitch the seventh and eighth, returned from forearm inflammation but was not used over the weekend. How the front office answers that need shapes Philadelphia's push for a fifth straight postseason berth.

By the numbers: Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler rank first and second in the NL in pitcher bWAR, at 5.4 and 4.8. Sanchez sits at a 2.62 ERA with 144 strikeouts across 127 1/3 innings but carries a 4.50 ERA over his last eight starts. Wheeler's 2.13 ERA and 0.892 WHIP would each rank second in the NL if he qualified; he's on pace to reach the innings threshold by mid-August.

What to watch: Watch whether Keller returns to high-leverage relief work and what bullpen help the Phillies add before the August 3 deadline.

Sources

Yahoo MLB 2026-07-16T11:16:07.917260+00:00

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MLBPreviewPhiladelphia PhilliesNew York MetsAaron NolaBryce Harper

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