One dilemma I have seen Phillies fans discuss on Twitter this week is the question: Do the Phillies play reliever Pat Neshek, or do they protect him from injury until they deal him? If the Phillies are looking to maximize the return on Neshek, it looks like they will have to play him. Many teams reportedly are in town to see Neshek pitch, which could mean that the Phillies may be in for a fabulous payday.
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick
The #Nationals, #RedSox, #Dodgers, #Rays and #Cubs are among the teams who've had scouts in Philly watching Pat Neshek.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) July 23, 2017
Notice Crasnick says "among" – there could be others present.
Earlier today on Sports Talk Philly, guest contributor Tim Jackson wrote that the Phillies needed a top 50 prospect in exchange for Neshak's services for the rest of the season. MLB Trade Rumors considers Neshek the third most valuable trade chip this deadline. If one of those teams can pony up a worthy prospect, the Phillies did very well for Neshek, who only cost the Phillies a player to be named or cash considerations.
The Phillies added several veterans this past offseason with the idea that the club could strike a deal later in exchange for some prospects that would make the already deep farm system even deeper. While some will not work according to plan (Clay Buchholz, anyone?), Neshek's return could help make all of it money well-spent for the Phillies.
