As the Philadelphia Phillies look to bounce back from another series loss to the Chicago Cubs, the organization may need to start considering roster upgrades sooner rather than later.
Sitting at 8–10 to open the season, expectations for Philadelphia were centered around contention, but early results have fallen short. Three consecutive series losses have begun to raise concerns about both consistency and overall performance.
On Wednesday, Jesús Luzardo endured his roughest outing of the season, allowing eight earned runs and continuing a troubling trend in which he has surrendered five or more runs in three starts already this year.
However, pitching isn’t the only issue. The Phillies’ offense also struggled in the same game, managing just two runs, highlighting ongoing inconsistency at the plate.
With production lagging, especially from the right side, Philadelphia could look to the trade market for help. One possible target is Houston Astros infielder Isaac Paredes, a right-handed hitter who has been linked to trade speculation in the past and could become available if Houston continues to struggle.
A potential fit for Philadelphia would be at third base, where Alec Bohm has also gotten off to a slow start. While Edmundo Sosa offers versatility, he profiles more as a utility option than an everyday solution at the position.
Paredes would bring both defensive stability at third base and proven offensive production. In 2024, he hit .254/.352/.458 with 20 home runs and 53 RBIs across 102 games, showing middle-of-the-order potential and above-average on-base skills.
At just 27 years old, he remains in his prime and could also provide much-needed balance as a right-handed power bat alongside Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.
If Houston continues to underperform, Paredes could become available on the market, and Philadelphia would be well-positioned to explore a move to address its early-season concerns.
