What happened: The Philadelphia Phillies have been urged to add relief talent around their star closer before the MLB trade deadline. The focus is on strengthening the bridge to the ninth inning.
Why it matters: A deeper bullpen could help Philadelphia protect late leads during the playoff race. Relief depth also becomes more important as workloads rise late in the season.
By the numbers: The Phillies are 50-39, averaging 4.5 runs while allowing 4.4 per game.
What to watch: Watch whether the Phillies target a setup reliever as the deadline approaches.