By: Tim Kelly, Managing Editor 
When the Philadelphia Phillies acquired veteran right-handed starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson this past off-season, the expectation from many was that Hellickson would pitch the first four months of the season with the team, before the club flipped the impending free-agent as they continued to attempt to build a deep farm system.
Three months in, MLB.com's Todd Zolecki didn't rule out a trade of Hellickson, who is 6-6 with a 4.06 ERA after a win Friday, but said Hellickson getting moved before the trade deadline is far from a lock:
"That being said, the return for Hellickson figures to be relatively small. Combine that with the fact that Philadelphia is under no economic pressure to make a trade and the Phils, according to those familiar with their thinking, do not feel compelled to trade Hellickson."
The Phillies are unlikely to re-sign Hellickson when he becomes a free-agent this off-season, though trading him for what may turn out to be a warm body wouldn't serve much of a purpose either. Given that the Phillies hope to limit the innings of Vince Velasquez, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff — coupled with already losing Charlie Morton and Adam Morgan's struggles — the Phillies may be thin on starting pitching late in the season. There's certainly a case to be made that holding onto Hellickson for the rest of the season would be of more value simply because he could eat some innings, and as Zolecki would go on to note, he could serve as the veteran presence in an otherwise inexperienced rotation.
The guess here is that the Phillies still will ultimately move Hellickson, though it wouldn't be shocking if the team allowed him to pitch past the MLB's August 1 non-waiver trade deadline and moved him at some point in August. That said, the former Rookie of the Year may force their hand if he continues to limit runs in the manner that he has recently, as he's allowed just five runs in his last 19 innings.
