2025 MLB trade deadline: Luis Robert Jr., Jhoan Duran among targets for Phillies

CBS News

18 hours ago

The 2025 MLB trade deadline is on Thursday, and the Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be one of the most active teams as they load up for another playoff run.
Philadelphia will be in the market for bullpen help and an outfielder, ideally a right-handed hitter, who can add some more power to the lineup.
Here's which players the Phillies could target before Thursday's 6 p.m. deadline.
D-Backs third baseman Eugenio Suárez, a 2025 All-Star, is the top bat available on the trade deadline market. He has smacked 36 homers, which ranks in the top five in MLB. His 87 RBIs as of Tuesday night also rank tied for first with Seattle's Cal Raleigh.
The 34-year-old is slashing .248/.321/.577 in the 2025 season. Suárez wouldn't be an ideal fit with the Phillies defensively, but his power would add a much-needed right-handed bat to the team's lineup.
If the Phillies were to acquire Suárez, they would need to reshuffle some players in the field. Suárez could play third base until Alec Bohm returns from an injury. But then, after that, Suárez would likely have to be the designated hitter, which would mean Kyle Schwarber playing left field. Another scenario is moving Bohm to first base and Bryce Harper back to the outfield.
Harper told reporters on Tuesday he would be open to playing the outfield if needed.
Suárez had a scare on Monday after he was hit by a pitch on his hand, but his X-rays were negative.
White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. has dealt with injuries over the last two seasons, but a change of scenery could help the 27-year-old.
Robert is having a down year and slashing .204/.292/.338 with 11 home runs, but he's crushed left-handed pitching and plays solid defense in center field. He hit a home run off the Phillies in a win on Monday night.
Robert was an All-Star in 2023, when he had a breakout season and hit 38 home runs. The White Sox are looking to get back a top 10 prospect in return for Robert if he were to be dealt, according to The Athletic.
Robert has club options for the next two seasons.
The relief pitcher market got more complicated this week, as MLB investigates Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase for sports betting, and Baltimore Orioles reliever Felix Bautista suffered a shoulder injury.
With that being said, Twins reliever Jhoan Duran is one of the most coveted bullpen arms on the market. The Phillies' highest priority for the deadline is reportedly a high-leverage reliever, and Duran fits the bill.
Duran, 27, has a 2.01 ERA and 16 saves through 49 games.
Staying with the Twins, Griffin Jax is another name for Phillies fans to keep an eye on.
Through 49 games this season, Jax has a 3.91 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP and 72 strikeouts.
Jax is under team control through the 2027 season. He was drafted by the Phillies in 2013, but chose to attend the Air Force Academy before pursuing a professional baseball career.
Pirates reliever David Bednar is one of the top names on the market at the deadline.
Bednar, 30, is a two-time All-Star and has another year of team control through arbitration. The Pirates are reportedly looking for a top-five prospect from another organization in exchange for Bednar.
The Phillies have contacted the Pirates for Bednar, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
In 42 games this season, Bednar has 17 saves, a 2.35 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP.
Right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley is set to be a free agent, and the Cardinals are falling in the standings, which means he could be on the move at the trade deadline.
Like Bednar, Helsley is a two-time All-Star, with the latest nod coming in the 2024 season.
Entering Tuesday night, Helsley had 21 saves, which ranked 10th in baseball. He also had a 3.00 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. The Phillies have shown interest in Helsley, according to MLB.com.
The Orioles are having a down year, but outfielder Ramon Laureano is having one of the better seasons of his career.
Laureano is slashing .285/.347/.527 with 15 homers, 46 RBIs and 17 doubles. The 31-year-old has a club option for next season, so the Phillies could part ways if things don't work out following the deadline.
Laureano isn't the only Baltimore outfielder that Phillies fans should be keeping an eye on ahead of the deadline.
Cedric Mullins, 30, is likely to be moved at the deadline, according to ESPN. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Mullins is slashing .226/.325/.449 on the season with 15 homers, 49 RBIs and 18 doubles. He's also stolen 14 bases.
The Phillies and Orioles made two deals at the deadline last season.
The Phillies would likely prefer a right-handed bat at the deadline, but Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan would still fit what the team needs.
Kwan, a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner, is likely to be dealt at the trade deadline, according to The Athletic.
The Athletic also reported the Phillies have shown a "ton" of interest in Kwan.
Kwan would be an upgrade to Philadelphia's outfield, and he's only making $4.175 million in 2025. He's under team control through arbitration over the next two seasons.
Kwan is slashing .287/.351/.411 with a .762 OPS, nine homers and 20 doubles.
Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García has performed at a high level on some of the biggest stages, and he could get dealt at the deadline, according to The Athletic.
Garcia was the 2023 ALCS MVP en route to the Rangers beating the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series.
In those playoffs, Garcia slashed .323/.382./762 with a 1.108 OPS and smacked eight homers.
Garcia's power numbers have dipped over the last two seasons, but he could be worth the gamble for the Phillies if he were to get hot at the plate. He's under team control through arbitration until the 2026 season.