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Rising Apple on MSNNY Mets rumors: Battle with Phillies extends beyond the NL East standings
The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies' NL East rivalry heats up beyond standings as both target Luis Robert Jr. and key relievers, escalating their trade deadline battle.
This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Major League Baseball's trade deadline is scheduled for next Thursday, which means teams have less than a week to get their midsummer shopping done. The moves have already started, as the Mariners recently acquired Josh Naylor from the Diamondbacks while the Yankees acquired Ryan McMahon in a trade with the Rockies.
The New York Mets are expected to be major buyers at the MLB trade deadline, but they could also move a roster piece or two, notably Starling Marte.
The Phillies have already done some work to bolster their bullpen, signing veteran David Robertson to a contract for the remainder of the season. Robertson is expected to enter the fray in early August after a 15-day minor-league assignment.
Kwan is the ideal table-setter in front of big boppers like Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper, and his defense would allow Philly to really clamp down late in games with Marsh and Johan Rojas. Luis Robert Jr. might be the flashier name, but Kwan has been the better player for a while now, and he checks a ton of boxes for Dave Dombrowski.
The Boston Red Sox are considering trading Jarren Duran away, with the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies waiting in the wings.
Andrew Painter fans four batters on four different pitches (cutter, four-seamer, slider, curveball) in his latest start! The @Phillies ' No. 1 prospect allows just one knock over six solid innings for the Triple-A @IronPigs. pic.twitter.com/KpNmxS5XWh