Phils agree to Tyler Anderson deal (sources)

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PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies knew they could not win the National League East with a rotation like this.

So on Tuesday, they agreed to a trade.

Multiple sources told MLB.com that the Phillies agreed to acquire left-hander Tyler Anderson from the Pirates for mid-level prospects Cristian Hernandez and Abrahan Gutierrez. (MLB Network’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the deal has been held up because of a medical issue surrounding one of the prospects heading to Pittsburgh.) The Phils, who have not confirmed the deal, remain in the hunt for more upgrades before Friday’s 4 p.m. Trade Deadline. But sources indicate they are unlikely to land some of the game’s biggest prizes, including Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel and infielder/outfielder Kris Bryant.

The Phillies entered Tuesday night’s game against the Nationals with a 50-49 record, 3 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East. They have a legitimate chance to make the postseason for the first time since 2011, but they would likely need to add more to go on a run.

Anderson, 31, is 5-8 with a 4.35 ERA in 18 starts this season. He has pitched five or more innings in each one.

Anderson is not a top-of-the-rotation starter, but he is an upgrade. The Phillies hope he is similar to Jamie Moyer in 2006, Kyle Lohse in ’07 and Joe Blanton in ’08. Each of those three provided depth and stability to a shaky rotation. If the deal is finalized, Anderson would slot behind Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Zach Eflin, who is on the 10-day injured list with tendinitis in his right knee. The Phils hoped Eflin could rejoin the rotation as early as Friday, but that will not happen.

There is no timetable for Eflin’s return, which made Anderson’s expected acquisition more critical.

Anderson is likely to take right-hander Vince Velasquez’s spot in the rotation. Velasquez is scheduled to start Thursday against the Nationals. He has a 10.91 ERA in four starts this month, a 7.74 ERA in 10 starts since May 25 and a 7.15 ERA this season against every team other than the Marlins.

Velasquez has pitched five or more innings in just eight of his 16 starts.

If everybody is healthy, the Phillies could keep left-hander Matt Moore in the rotation and move right-hander Spencer Howard into the bullpen. Howard has been nearly unhittable the first time through the lineup (.331 OPS in 63 plate appearances as a starter), but he has struggled the second time through (1.534 OPS in 33 plate appearances as a starter).

“If you have the starting pitching to replace him, I think it makes some sense,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. “It depends who’s here. You look at all the pieces here and then you make a decision. How are we best?”

But could Howard even handle a role in the bullpen? The Phillies have been incredibly protective of Howard’s health and workload, which is more easily accomplished as a starter.

“I think you have to watch it like we had to watch Ranger [Suárez] when we were using him,” Girardi said. “We think he’s a piece for a long time, and he’s not a guy that’s necessarily pitched a lot relief that he could go back to back. I mean, that’s the problem.”

Anderson will be a free agent after the season, which partially explains why the Phillies did not dip into their pool of top prospects. MLB Pipeline ranked Hernandez, 20, the organization’s No. 29 prospect. He was 2-5 with a 3.49 ERA with Low-A Clearwater, striking out 74 and walking 22 in 56 2/3 innings. Gutierrez, 21, is a catcher who had an .842 OPS in 213 plate appearances with Clearwater.

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