The Philadelphia Phillies were once sitting near the very bottom of baseball, with their season quickly trending toward collapse. At one point, the club even made an early managerial change, parting ways with Rob Thomson, a move that has since been viewed as a key turning point in their turnaround.
During that stretch, Philadelphia endured a losing streak that stretched past a week, which was the longest in the league at the time.
“As the longest losing streak in baseball grew to eight games, the Phillies fell to 8–16 and were tied with the Mets for the worst record in the National League. Their -50 run differential was also the worst in MLB by a wide margin,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan noted.
Since then, the Phillies have rebounded to 28–27, clawing their way back above .500 and re-entering the postseason conversation. While the rotation has shown encouraging signs, questions still linger around the consistency of Andrew Painter and Aaron Nola.
“As the Phillies attempt to remain contenders, Luzardo is a crucial piece. While Philadelphia boasts one of the league’s top duos in Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler, they still need a reliable third starter. Andrew Painter is still developing at the major league level, and Aaron Nola has continued to struggle,” SI’s Nick Ziegler wrote.
With the team back in the hunt, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Philadelphia pursue additional pitching help. One possible trade target is Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan.
“Philadelphia’s slow start is behind them, but it exposed several roster weaknesses that must be addressed if the team wants to reach a fifth straight postseason. The outfield, bullpen, and rotation all remain areas of concern, and even Alec Bohm’s role at third base could be in jeopardy if his production doesn’t improve,” SI’s Jackson Roberts added.
Ryan, who has shown strong production throughout his career and even drew darkhorse Cy Young buzz entering the season, also earned an American League All-Star selection last year.
With a manageable $6.2 million salary this season, Ryan would be a realistic addition for Philadelphia. Pairing him with Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez would give the Phillies a deeper, more dangerous rotation—especially if Nola can rediscover his form—potentially setting them up for a serious October push.