By: Tyler Ward
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. gave a hint on Tuesday that the Phillies are close to acquiring a starting pitcher. It is not known for sure who the pitcher is, but it is known for a fact that they definitely need a starter.
The Phillies have explored trade options involving Oakland's Ben Sheets, Arizona's Dan Haren, and Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie. They have also had recent discussions in the past few days with the Houston Astros, involving..you guessed it, Roy Oswalt.
On Saturday, Philadelphia sent Kyle Kendrick down to the minors, who is 5-4 with a 4.82 ERA. He has struggled so far this year and is only one of many problems surrounding the Phillies organization this month.
The never-aging Jamie Moyer left his start Tuesday after one inning - they are saying that Moyer has a left elbow strain. He could be placed on the disabled list for precautionary reasons, but it is uncertain as of right now. Not having Kendrick and Moyer in the rotation means that the Phillies are in desperate need of a starting pitcher and it could come very soon.
They have also put outfielder Jayson Werth on the trading block, and he could be involved in one of the Phillies' trade scenarios. By trading Werth, they are hoping to open up a roster spot for Domonic Brown, one of their most prized farm system players. The Phillies have reportedly talked to several teams about Werth and it appears that Tampa Bay could be the front-runner.
Philadelphia has also inquired about bringing back Pedro Martinez to hopefully bolster the pitching staff, but it appears that a signing is not imminent. He signed with the Phillies mid-season last year and in nine starts, Martinez won five games and pitched a little over 44 innings.
The Phillies, however, desire Oswalt to become the next member of their team and form one of the best 1-2 punches with former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay. Oswalt has pitched for a horrible Astros team this year, posting a 6-11 record with a 3.12 ERA. He has received no run support this season, which has led to frustration and hopes of a trade. Many teams do not think Oswalt will be traded because he is owed $7 million for the rest of this year and $16 million next year - he could also receive a $16 million option or a $2 million buyout in 2012.
Philadelphia wants to trade for a starting pitcher that they can keep beyond this year. If the Phillies moved Werth, who is scheduled to make roughly $3.5 million for the rest of this year, and the Astros pay some of the money due to Oswalt, the figures would match up and the Astros pitcher could be headed east.
They have also been shopping pitcher J.A. Happ, who almost went to Toronto in the Roy Halladay trade last December. Happ is currently pitching in Triple A and trying to recover from a forearm strain.
The Phillies are in third place in the NL East with a 48-45 record, seven games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves. So far this month, the Phillies are 7-10, falling further and further back in the division.
After making two consecutive World Series appearances, the Phillies are in the midst of one of their worst streaks thus far. They won the World Series in 2008, but lost to the Yankees on baseball's biggest stage last season. If they want to continue that streak, they would have to acquire a starting pitcher that can help carry the load, along with Halladay.
