Thursday, July 30

Welcome to the latest edition of the Phillies Beat newsletter.

Whether it’s said publicly or privately, the Phillies need to find help before Monday’s 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline.

The Phillies’ front office knows it. Its scouts have been everywhere the past few weeks, looking at everybody and anybody that might possibly help the lineup, rotation and bullpen. Bryce Harper acknowledged this reality following Tuesday night’s 1-0 loss to the Marlins. Asked if he thinks this offense can beat good pitching in October, he said, “I think we need some help. But you know, I think we've proved pretty much all year we've done a pretty good job. But anytime you can get some help in here and reinforcements, I think it helps.”

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly took umbrage with Harper’s candor before Wednesday’s 8-6 loss, which was the Phillies' ninth in 12 games since the All-Star break, although he also seemed unfazed by it.

“I think you're always trying to get better,” Mattingly said. “You should always incrementally try to get better, no matter who you are. If you're the Dodgers, who won two straight, they're trying to get better in different ways. We're in the same boat, right? You're always trying to get better. But when you say something about our team, then you're saying something about one of our players that you don't like.”

But it will be stunning if the Phillies don’t make at least one trade before the Deadline. They need bats. They need arms.

If the Phillies want to win the World Series, however, they will need the players currently on the roster to start playing better. Because the Phils aren’t getting Mike Trout, Byron Buxton, Mason Miller and others before Monday.

It starts with Harper, of course. He has been in a slump the past few weeks. He acknowledged on Monday that he needs to play better.

“It’s my job to go out and play and do my job,” Harper said. “And, obviously, the last month, I haven't done my job to the best of my ability.”

Trea Turner has committed seven errors in 11 games at shortstop, before serving as the DH and homering on Wednesday. Kyle Schwarber has three homers and a .747 OPS in July. He didn’t play Tuesday and Wednesday because of a GI issue that cost him three games in late May. It’s unclear if he will play on Friday.

All-Star outfielder Brandon Marsh was hitting .338 on June 7, but he has hit .138 with a .417 OPS in his last 24 games, making him a platoon player again in the outfield.

Marsh spent time following Tuesday night’s loss hitting in the batting cage at loanDepot park.

“Just keep grinding, man,” Marsh said. “Just gotta keep going. Baseball's a hard game. Even the best fail more than they succeed, so you just gotta keep going.”

Marsh said his struggles could be related to seeing fewer pitches in the zone, and swinging at more pitches out of the zone.

“Maybe a little bit of both or all of it,” Marsh said. “Those pitchers are good, man. So you just got to keep going. Maybe swinging a little too much out of the zone. Could tone it back a little, but I've also hit a lot of those pitches in my career. So just going through a little grind right now. It'll be all right.”

It’s been a grind for everybody.

“Now’s the time that we're going to find out what we're made of,” Mattingly said. “There’s a struggle. We let everybody stay in the race. So, we find out who we are, you know, these next couple months.”

The Phillies traded Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson, Jason Donald and which prospect to Cleveland on July 29, 2009, for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco?

A. Keith Bucktrot

B. Zack Segovia

C. Jason Knapp

D. Jesus Sánchez

• Harper on Monday talked about his recent slump, the Trade Deadline and why he brought his outfielder’s glove on this road trip.

• Which Phillies prospects will be traded before Monday’s Deadline? Who knows? But get to know the Phillies’ Top 30 Prospects here.

• Zack Wheeler said he is fine following a three-inning start on Monday. His velocity was way down, too. He makes his next start on Sunday in Baltimore.

Mike Schmidt and Richie Ashburn are inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 30, 1995.

C. Jason Knapp

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