Phillies get LHP Braeden Ogle from Bucs

The National League’s heavy hitters have been making major trades this week to position themselves for a World Series championship.

The Phillies, who hope to win a flawed National League East for the first time since 2011, have made one minor move so far.

The team announced Friday morning that it acquired Triple-A left-hander Braeden Ogle from the Pirates for Low-A catcher Abrahan Gutierrez, who was supposed to be in the Tyler Anderson deal that fell apart on Tuesday. Sources said the Phillies continue to pursue pitching before Friday’s 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline.

The Phillies' rotation is in need of help. Right-hander Zach Eflin is on the injured list with tendinitis in his right knee, and there is no timetable for his return. Right-hander Vince Velasquez is scheduled to start Friday night in Pittsburgh. He has a 10.91 ERA in four starts this month, a 7.74 ERA in 10 starts since May 31 and a 7.19 ERA this season against every team other than the Marlins. He has pitched five or more innings in just eight of 16 starts.

Right-hander Spencer Howard is scheduled to start Sunday. He is 0-2 with a 4.84 ERA in seven starts, but he has not pitched more than four innings as he continues to get hit hard the second time through the lineup. Left-hander Matt Moore is scheduled to start Monday in Washington. He has a 10.80 ERA in his past two starts, a 5.86 ERA in six starts since he returned from the injured list last month and a 6.98 ERA in nine starts overall. He has pitched five or more innings three times.

Ogle, who turned 24 on Friday, was a 2016 fourth-round pick for the Pirates. He was 2-2 with a 3.13 ERA in 24 appearances this season with Triple-A Indianapolis. He struck out 42 and walked 23 in 31 2/3 innings.

Ogle was not on the Pirates’ 40-man roster. He has not been ranked among Pittsburgh’s top 30 prospects since 2018, when he ranked 30th. He has been a full-time reliever since '19.

Ogle is a two-pitch pitcher with a fastball and slider. He has touched 99 mph in Triple-A, but his fastball averages a little more than 95 mph. Ogle throws a good amount of two-seamers that generate ground balls. His slider averages around 82 mph. It is his out pitch, getting hitters to swing and miss 57 percent of the time, although he has trouble throwing it for strikes (53 percent strike rate).

Left-handed hitters have batted .217 with a .584 OPS against him. Right-handed hitters have batted .141 with a .556 OPS.