The trade deadline is more important than ever for the red-hot Phillies. Here are three underrated needs.

How hot are the Phillies? Well, as of Thursday, they were on pace to win more games than any NL team since 1906, back when a baseball uniform consisted of a top hat, monocle, and whatever shoes your father left you when he died of black lung. The Cubs won 116 games that year, setting a record that stands to this day. Chicago started out 6-6, but then really caught fire. Except, you couldn’t say it like that, because it was still too soon.

So, yeah, the Phillies are playing at an historical pace. With a 31-13 record heading into Thursday and a three-game series against the Washington Nationals this weekend, they had a legitimate chance to finish the week on track for 118 wins. Seven of nine regulars have an OPS of at least 10% above league average. Their rotation has combined for what is basically a Cy Young-caliber line: 6.0 innings per start, 9.2 strikeouts per nine, and a 2.60 ERA. Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm have suddenly become two of the best relievers in the game.

I’ll be honest with you. Things are going so well for the Phillies right now that I don’t know what to write. I am a man at war with my circadian rhythms. I mean, it’s the middle of May, which means I should be writing that Dave Dombrowski needs to trade all of his earthly possessions for a bat and some pitching. I feel like Punxatawney Phil in an episode of Punk’d. If life is a beach what am I doing here in the sand?

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Hell, let’s fix the Phillies anyway. Or, rather, let’s fortify them. Reinforce them. Whatever you want to call it. Really, it’s what a team in their position is supposed to do at the trade deadline. History says that baseball’s midsummer swap session is just as important for a team in the Phillies’ current position as it is for a team in their usual position. The Rangers were 60-46 last year when they traded for Jordan Montgomery. The 2022 Braves were running away with the division when they added Raisel Iglesias. The 2021 Dodgers added Trea Turner and Max Scherzer while en route to 106 wins.

That’s a pretty good sampling of the types of moves that Dombrowski should be contemplating as he looks at his roster and his minor league system. If there is a home run win-now trade out there like the Turner/Scherzer combo deal, this would be the season to make it. I’m skeptical there is one.

Good news is, the Phillies don’t need an elite-level impact player in order to make the impact they need. As good as the good has been — and it has been overwhelmingly good — the chief areas of concern have been pretty darn bad.

That is, a corner outfielder who can give Rob Thomson an option should both of his righties continue to struggle. As of Thursday, there were 277 hitters in the majors with at least 80 plate appearances at the corner outfield and infield positions. Nick Castellanos ranked 221st with a .585 OPS and Whit Merrifield ranked 239th with a .561 OPS. Merrifield is at least getting the opportunity to play some second base with Turner on the shelf. But his ideal role is as one of Thomson’s three options in left or right. The best of that bunch has been Brandon Marsh, whose .252/.305/.738 slash line would look rather ordinary in most other contenders’ outfields.

I’m not ringing any alarm bells. If I did, the Phillies would actually go on to win 116 games and make me look like a ding-dong. But there is some legitimate reason for concern. The Phillies rank 25th and 26th in OPS in center and right field and are middle-of-the-pack in left field. That’s not how you usually draw it up for a World Series lineup.

This is a little off the grid, and hardly a pressing concern. I don’t have it in my heart to suggest that the Phillies should be looking to move on from Garrett Stubbs, who is worth a roster spot simply to avoid messing with any vibes. The spirit stick is really the only thing a backup catcher needs to swing in the postseason.

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Still, let’s look at reality. J.T. Realmuto is 33 years old and dealing with a knee issue that has cost him some recent playing time. Stubbs is hitting .182 with a .501 OPS since the start of last season. It would make some sense to at least consider whether there is another catcher out there who can take some heat off Realmuto and keep him as fresh as possible heading into the postseason.

You can pencil this onto the wish list of practically any contender in any season. But it would be more than a luxury for the Phillies. As good as Hoffman, Strahm, and Jose Alvarado have been, the depth thins out dramatically from there. Orion Kerkering has a sparkling 1.54 ERA but his strikeout and walk rates have been average-to-below through 11 appearances. Even if we assume that he will continue to grow and eventually blossom into a high-average swing-and-miss arm, Thomson doesn’t have much behind him. Seranthony Domínguez and Gregory Soto have both followed up their inconsistent 2023s with ERAs north of 6.00 in 2024. The Phillies could really use another dependable arm.

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We are still a month-and-a-half out from the trade deadline, which makes it difficult to name potential targets, particularly in a year where injuries have been so prevalent. The important point to underscore right now is the number one goal of any team that enters June on pace for 100 wins: fix it before it breaks.