Colorado Rockies: The Philadelphia Phillies need Jon Gray more than ever

The Philadelphia Phillies are in second place in the NL East, 2.5 games back of the New York Mets for first place entering play on Wednesday.

One of their biggest needs has been starting pitching as, since June 15, the Phillies starters have an ERA of 4.93, which is 21st in baseball in that span but they need starting pitching help even more now.

Their ace, Aaron Nola, returned from the COVID-IL on Tuesday but fellow starting pitcher Zach Eflin hit the 10-day IL in a corresponding move due to patellar tendonitis (tendonitis in the kneecap). While the Phillies don’t believe that Eflin will miss an extended period of time due to the injury, he has a history with knee injuries, including having knee surgery in 2016.

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The Phillies could express interest in Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray

Considering that they needed a starter before Eflin (and Nola’s) injuries, the Philadelphia Phillies interest in Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray may be going higher.

While the Phillies farm system is not one that is considered to be one of the best in baseball (MLB.com ranked their farm system 23rd in baseball at the start of the 2021 season) but the Phillies may be a good team for the Rockies to trade with.

Seemingly, Gray will get one Top 10-20 prospect and a few other lower level prospects (the number depending on the quality of the top prospect in the deal). But the Phillies have a number of prospects in their top 10 through 20 that are MLB-ready or close to MLB-ready.

Of those 11 prospects from 10 through 20, five of them are either at the Triple-A level or have already made their major league debuts and their #9 and #21 prospects are at the Triple-A level as well.

From 10 through 20, the close to MLB-ready players include four pitchers and an outfielder (former number one overall pick Mickey Moniak).

As we get closer to the July 30 trade deadline, there will be even more teams that emerge as potential suitors for Jon Gray and other players on the Rockies, and the Rockies need to be sure to get the best deals for them so that they can start another chapter on Rockies baseball, not writing more pages in this chapter of Rockies baseball that has not reached its full potential.