The final three weeks of July will be busy for the Phillies as they try to ship their veterans off to contenders before the July 31 trade deadline. Some will be easier to move than others, and Thursday’s 6-3 loss to Pittsburgh offered a glimpse as to the reasons why.
Jeremy Hellickson and Pat Neshek displayed their trade value while Joaquin Benoit — who allowed the decisive run in the eighth — may have hurt his. The veterans are the obvious candidates to be shipped, but no player, team president Andy MacPhail said last week, is untouchable.
Benoit was booed as he walked off the mound after allowing three runs in the eighth inning.