Phillies trade rumors: Philadelphia listening to offers for Jeremy Hellickson

The Phillies are willing to listen to offers on righty Jeremy Hellickson, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The club will likely shop Hellickson until the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Philadelphia enters play Monday with a 14-21 record, sitting nine games back of the division-leading Nationals. The club’s rough start means that it is a likely seller as July approaches, with Hellickson being one of the top veteran pieces likely to be made available to contenders looking for rotation help.

Hellickson, 30, has pitched to a 4-1 record and 3.71 ERA in eight starts for the Phillies thus far after accepting the club’s qualifying offer last fall. He is ineligible to receive a qualifying offer this winter as a free agent, and is likely to pursue a long-term deal after what appears to be another above-average season in Philadelphia.

Though it’s unclear which teams are looking at Hellickson as a trade option this early, he will surely draw interest from contenders considering the string of significant starting pitching injuries seen throughout baseball in the season’s first 45 days. The Mariners, Mets, Angels and Diamondbacks could be clubs with interest if they jump back into the race.