The Philadelphia Phillies are shaping up to be a serious challenger to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the World Series this season, but they may need to bolster their roster to truly compete at that level. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the team has growing concerns about one of their key bullpen arms. This could lead them to aggressively pursue a trade for a more reliable high-leverage reliever.

“The Phillies have become concerned with closer Jordan Romano, who averaged 96.8 mph on his fastball two years ago, but now is down to about 92-94 mph and struggling holding on runners,” Nightengale reported. “This helps explain why the Blue Jays non-tendered him last winter before the Phillies signed him to a one-year, $8.5 million contract.”

If the Phillies lose confidence in Romano as a dependable late-inning option, they could turn their attention to Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley. The hard-throwing righty is in the final year of his deal, and with Spotrac projecting his next contract to be worth around $81 million, it’s unlikely St. Louis will re-sign him. That makes Helsley a prime trade candidate.

The Phillies, who let Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman leave in free agency without adding strong replacements, could benefit greatly from acquiring Helsley. While it would likely require a significant trade package, the move could dramatically strengthen their bullpen and give them a major edge down the stretch.