Phillies Predicted to Acquire Former All-Star Pitcher to Bolster WS Hopes
The Philadelphia Phillies are being predicted to land a former All-Star pitcher to increase their World Series chances.
Video Transcript
So the Phillies could definitely afford to add another pitcher before the start of the season as Zach Wheeler is recovering from TOS.
And remember, Ranger Suarez signed with the Red Sox in free agency.
Aaron Nola had a horrible year last year.
Tyvon Walker is not the most reliable.
And Andrew Painter, it's a top prospect, but he's yet to throw a pitch on the big league level in a meaningful game.
So really right now, Christopher Sanchez and Jesus Lizardo are the only two pitchers for the Phillies that you can really count on going into the season.
Now, there are very, very slim pickings available on the free agent market right now.
And the trade market doesn't really offer much right now either.
So the Phillies' options are rather thin.
But Bleacher Report has named Lucas Giolito as the pitcher most likely the Phillies to sign going into the regular season as they listed him among their predictions for the Phillies' starting rotation to begin opening day later this month.
Now, Giolito had a 3-4-1 ERA in Boston last year.
Lifetime ERA, well into the fours, but he's made an All-Star team in the past in Chicago.
Used to be a strikeout artist with the White Sox.
Had 228 strikeouts one year in Chicago back in 2019 when he actually made his lone All-Star appearance.
He had elbow surgery that caused him to miss all of 2024.
And his Ks per nine were down to 7.5 in 2025 as a result.
But the results were, you know, okay last year.
Again, that 3-4-1 ERA.
The peripherals weren't great.
But just to have a guy to eat some innings in that rotation until Wheeler gets back and until you figure out what else you want to do in that starting rotation wouldn't be a bad idea.
I know Dave Dombrowski recently said that Giolito's not a fit, but I think that could change the closer we get to the regular season if the Phillies get more desperate to add another arm.
