JUST IN: Phillies Explore 3 All-Stars Trade Options To Replace Jose Alvarado

The Philadelphia Phillies have suffered two setbacks in the past week that might jeopardize their grasp on an NL Wild Card berth.

First, Aaron Nola was out for the foreseeable future due to an ankle injury while enduring yet another of his strange odd-year slumps. José Alvarado, the team’s outstanding closer, was then suspended for 80 games, or half of the season, for using performance-enhancing substances.

The Phillies will be playing with a lot of leads this summer due to their 28-18 record and position as the second-best team in a strong NL East. If Jordan Romano, who had a 7.27 ERA in 2025, doesn’t miraculously regain his All-Star form from 2022–2023, they will need a closer who can hold down the fort in the ninth inning.

The Phillies would be wise to be proactive and beat the market for a shutdown reliever, even though the trade deadline is still a few months away.

3 closers the Phillies can target in a trade to replace Jose Alvarado

Devin Williams, New York Yankees

Given Romano’s difficulties, it’s not the most attractive option, but Williams has the most impressive recent record of any MLB reliever.

Williams little resembles the pitcher who had a 1.70 ERA and 68 saves between 2020 and 24. He has a 7.80 ERA in 15 innings this season. His air-bending changeup has never been hit harder (.309 wOBA allowed), and his fastball velocity (93.6 mph) is down a full tick from the previous season (and several miles per hour from his 2020 best).

Williams’ hard-hit percentage is in the 92nd percentile, and he is producing whiffs at an absurd 31.5% rate in spite of those warning signs. In addition, he has struck out the side twice in his last four games and given up only one hit and zero runs.

Even as the Yankees attempt to recoup some of the value from the trade that first brought him to New York, Williams would not cost the Phillies much given his rental status and his difficulties in the Bronx. A return to the National League might be a success for Williams if they trust in his underlying stats (3.17 FIP).

Mason Miller, Athletics

Miller’s ERA of 4.50 is misleading. He would be eligible for All-Star selection (if he isn’t already) with a 1.69 batting average if you exclude the five earned runs he gave up in Miami on May 3.

According to Baseball Savant, the A’s closer is hitting a ridiculous 47.0% of the batters he faces this season and his triple-digit fastball is in the 100th percentile. Even if he is the epitome of pure, unadulterated domination, he won’t be eligible for arbitration until the next year.

All of it obviously implies that Miller will be unaffordable in a deal. Furthermore, the A’s might not even be sellers come July given that they were 20-17 prior to their recent 2-8 run.

Miller would be the Phillies’ best (by far) candidate to replace Alvarado if they were open to talking about it. Additionally, he would cost them at least one of their Top 100 prospects, if not more. How much is a reliever worth?

Ryan Pressly, Chicago Cubs

Pressly would be by far the least expensive reliever in this case in terms of acquisition costs. Pressly, 36, has the credentials to be a contender’s closer based on his track record, which includes 116 career saves.

But Pressly isn’t the same pitcher who spent the previous five years dominating the back of Houston’s bullpen. Pressly is below average this season in all but groundball production, including throwing a fastball that averages a career-low 93.1 mph.

Pressly’s ERA would be a respectable 1.65 if you take away his worst outing of the season, in which he gave up eight runs without recording an out against the Giants on May 6, like we did with Miller. That is somewhat betrayed by his 4.86 FIP, but at least it reminds us that Pressly hasn’t been as awful as Cubs fans have complained about him this season.

He is only a short-term substitute for Alvarado, though. If the Phillies want to contend all summer long, they could do much better.