The Phillies are at the top of the table with a record of 48–34, but there is tension in the bullpen. Their combined ERA is about 4.63, which is a worrisome situation. But a tip from a Phillies insider just came to light as the trade deadline and the drive for the playoffs draw near.

The Phillies’ relief corps is struggling. New players like Jordan Romano (6.28 ERA), Carlos Hernandez (designated), and Joe Ross (5.35 ERA) haven’t been able to help, and the Jose Alvarado to an 80-game PED suspension only added a problem. Philadelphia moved veteran Taijuan Walker from the rotation to a one-inning relief role. But is this working for them?

Phillies insider Scott Lauber proposes a real, necessary trade path to fix those cracks before they worsen. Lauber believes a Boston Red Sox trade could fix the Phillies’ primary issues—bullpen reliability and outfield consistency.

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Lauber suggests the Phillies trade right-handed pitching prospect Mick Abel to Boston for closer Aroldis Chapman and right-handed outfielder Rob Refsnyder. In his latest column, he wrote, “If it goes poorly, it doesn’t make sense for them to hold on to Chapman.” He still throws hard, but his walk rate has halved since last season. But, he may accept the $21 million or more free-agent qualifying offer as he is 37 years old.

Chapman is 37 but still throws triple-digit heat. In a postseason situation where the Phillies need to lock down the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, Chapman might be the difference between an early exit and a championship. But it’s not only Chapman—it’s the inclusion of Refsnyder, too. The Phillies’ offense is stuck in neutral, especially in the outfield.

Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas have a combined .636 OPS and three home runs in center field. Left fielder Max Kepler, signed for $10 million, has a .683 OPS and nine homers but hasn’t started against a lefty since April.

However, Refsnyder has a platoon advantage. The Phillies need a right-handed hitter who crushes lefties with a .569 slugging percentage and .972 OPS. Lauber mentioned that he played under Phillies manager Rob Thomson with the Yankees. He’s a smart acquisition that can win a playoff series without making headlines.

However, during these struggles of bullpen and with Bryce Harper sidelined due to injury, the Phillies have just outplayed the Atlanta Braves in their last game.

Amid bullpen struggles, Phillies shine in 13–0 rout over Braves

The Phillies were under a lot of stress in their bullpen when they got to Atlanta, but they used that stress to fuel a big win. Their relievers, who have been shaky all year, stayed strong this time, pitching nine scoreless innings and only letting seven runners on base during a storm delay that lasted all day and night. That helps a lot for a team whose bullpen has the worst ERA in the league.

The explosion started fast with five home runs in three innings. Castellanos, Turner (twice), Schwarber, and Kemp homered big. They scored 11 runs in the first stretch, matching their last five terrible games. After breaking a three-game losing streak and overcoming their Houston quiet, the timing seemed right.

After the rain delay, the Braves started Bryce Elder, who allowed 10 runs in two and a half innings. Their bullpen couldn’t stop the momentum after pitching briefly. However, the Phillies used a roster change—Tanner Banks, Taijuan Walker, and Alan Rangel teamed for shutout relief—to perfect a blowout.

Philadelphia‘s late-game struggles have raised questions about their playoff readiness, making this loss extra significant. That night, they turned a bad bullpen into an excellent performance. They showed the league that subpar pitching can’t stop a team with nothing to lose in one thunderous display of offensive and defensive dominance.