Starting pitching is a conversation that has surrounded the Philadelphia Phillies since their season was ended by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Championship Series last year.
Aaron Nola was a free agent and it seemed like it would be difficult to re-sign him based on the supposed differences in how much the organization was willing to offer and how much the ace was looking to receive.
So, it should come as no surprised that Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report put together a trade idea that would land Philadelphia promising starting pitcher Josiah Gray from the Washington Nationals.
In this trade package, he has the Phillies trading their No. 11 ranked prospect, pitcher Alex McFarlane, their No. 23 prospect, catcher Eduardo Tait, and their No. 28 prospect, shortstop Bryan Rincon, to get back Gray.
All three of these prospects for Philadelphia are long-term projects as they continue to develop. None of them are over 23 years old and have not made it past the Single-A level.
Gray was once an elite prospect within the Dodgers’ organization, being ranked as their third-best player in 2020 and second-best in 2021 following being named their Minor League pitcher of the year in 2019.
Los Angeles decided to trade him as part of a package to get back Max Scherzer and Trea Turner at the trade deadline during 2021.
Gray’s Major League career hasn’t quite gone to plan yet. Prior to his All-Star selection last year, he recorded two straight seasons with an ERA over 5.00.
However, the 26-year-old might have turned the corner last season with the Nationals, posting an ERA of 3.91 across his 30 starts and 159 innings pitched.
The talented righty also has four more years of club control before hitting free agency in 2028, giving the Phillies plenty of time to develop him into the elite starter he was projected to be.
