Phillies linked to 'most coveted' hitter from Orioles at trade deadline

There was a time this season when it appeared the Philadelphia Phillies would be nowhere close to buying at the deadline. 

But the baseball season is very long, and the managerial change from Rob Thomson to Don Mattingly has worked wonders. 

Like any other club, the Phillies are not without their shortcomings. They could use another right-handed hitter in their lineup and/or another outfielder. 

Mike Axisa of CBS Sports named Philadelphia as the best landing spot for an outfielder from the AL East who has just five home runs a year after he connected for 36. 

"[Taylor] Ward will be the most coveted rental bat on the trade market. He is well short of last year's 36-homer pace, but he's been a terrific on-base guy, plus his power could tick up away from the left field wall at Camden Yards," Axisa wrote.

Ward's gap-to-gap ability and tremendous walk rate would strengthen the Phillies' lineup. 

"There is a shortage of quality right-handed hitting outfielders throughout baseball right now, and there won't be many available at the deadline, and certainly none with Ward's pedigree and production," he added. 

Ward reaches free agency at the end of the season, so this would be a rental piece for the Phillies. 

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Plus, he shouldn't cost more than a lower-ranked prospect or two.

Dave Dombrowski should be willing to do that if it means Philadelphia's lineup adds an on-base machine in front of Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. 

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