By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Philadelphia Phillies swung and missed on two top high-end southpaw starters, Patrick Corbin and James Paxton. The latter was traded from the Seattle Mariners to the New York Yankees on Nov. 19, while the former signed a six-year, $140 million deal with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, despite reports the Phillies “would not be out-bid.”
Still wanting a left-handed starter to complement Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta in the rotation, the Phillies are now “turning their attention” elsewhere, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury.
Free agents J.A. Happ and Yusei Kikuchi are possibilities, per Salisbury, along with potential trade target Robbie Ray of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the same team previously linked to the Phillies this offseason regarding Zack Greinke and Paul Goldschmidt. Fancred’s Jon Heyman said the Phillies will also consider free agent Dallas Keuchel, while MLB Network’s Jon Morosi alluded to his Nov. 26 report that the club and San Francisco Giants exchanged in “preliminary dialogue” for a Madison Bumgarner trade.
Bumgarner’s trade market is “now coming into focus,” notes Morosi, especially for the Phillies now that Corbin has signed with their division rival.
Happ, 36, has already drawn interest from the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, and New York Yankees this offseason. The Phillies drafted the now-12-year veteran and 2008 World Series champion southpaw in the third round of the 2004 amateur draft. In 11 regular season starts with the Yankees this past season, after he was dealt from Toronto, Happ posted a perfect 7-0 record with a 2.69 ERA and 1.052 WHIP.
The Phillies were keen on bringing back Happ in July, and “remain interested in a reunion” still today, according to Salisbury.
Kikuchi, 27, was made available through the posting system as of 8 a.m. on Tuesday. Teams now have until Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. to negotiate with the Scott Boras-represented southpaw. Kikuchi posted a 1.97 ERA in 26 Japan Pacific League starts in 2017, followed by a 3.08 ERA spanning 23 starts this past season — both with the Seibu Lions.
The Phillies were first reported to be interested in Kikuchi in late September. On Nov. 5, Heyman reported that the Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres were among interested teams.
Ray, 27, is arbitration-eligible for a second time this offseason, and is among the many Diamondbacks players currently on the trade block. Salisbury said the Phillies “would have interest” in acquiring the 2017 National League All-Star, who went 6-2 with a 3.93 ERA and 165-70 strikeout-to-walk ratio spanning 24 starts and 123 2/3 innings last season.
Keuchel, 30, is a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, two-time All-Star, and 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner, all with the Houston Astros. The seven year veteran surrendered the most hits this past season (211), albeit while facing the most batters (874).
Bumgarner, 29, is perhaps the next-most intriguing southpaw starter the Phillies could acquire this offseason, now that Corbin and Paxton went elsewhere. The four-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion, and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner has gone from open to be traded to unlikely to be traded by the Giants within the span of a few days this offseason. The Giants could ultimately decide to part ways with the perennial Cy Young Award candidate if the Phillies’ offer is right.
The Phillies did reportedly attempt to lure the Seattle Mariners with their top prospect Sixto Sanchez in a potential trade for both Jean Segura and Edwin Diaz, after all.
At his season-ending press conference, Phillies President Andy MacPhail called the club “very right-handed,” and said he wishes it would be “a little more left-handed.” Although they lost out on Corbin and Paxton, it is hard to believe MacPhail, Managing Partner John Middleton and General Manager Matt Klentak will not acquire at least one southpaw starter prior to the 2019 season.
