Phillies Expected to Compete With Dodgers for Top Relievers at Trade Deadline

Phillies Expected to Compete With Dodgers for Top Relievers at Trade Deadline originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The MLB trade deadline will be a key time for the Philadelphia Phillies. With a dire need in the bullpen, the Phillies will be vying to land some of the top arms on the market.

Unfortunately, the Phillies won't be alone in pursuing the top arms. According to an ESPN article, Alden Gonzalez said that the Phillies will be looking to add high-leverage relievers, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Phillies relievers combined for a 4.38 ERA heading into the All-Star break," Gonzalez writes, "Tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the seventh-highest mark in the major leagues."

"Rival executives expect those two teams to be among the most aggressive in pursuit of high-leverage arms over these next few weeks."

While it's a good sign that the Phillies are planning to be aggressive in resolving their bullpen woes, the situation isn't ideal. The Dodgers have a near reckless abandon in landing players in the trade market and free agency.

If they pursue the same relievers as the Phillies, the competition for Dave Dombrowski and the Philadelphia front office will be stiff. Both teams need relief pitching, and with both being top contenders, they could drive up the price tag.

The Dodgers are among the toughest teams to go toe-to-toe against on the field. And off it, they aren't any easier. They've spent the most money and invested the most assets in their roster than any other team over the past few seasons.

With the Phillies' dire need for bullpen help, this update from Gonzalez is a tough one for Philadelphia. The competition for the top relievers will be fierce, and could drive the Phillies away from landing their ideal trade deadline targets.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.