When a trusted baseball reporters such as Jon Heyman calls a deal "close", it usually means one thing: the deal is pending medical review.  The Phillies were reportedly close to a trade for Pittsburgh Pirates starter Tyler Anderson, as Heyman and MLB.com's Todd Zolecki and others reported.  But at the last minute, the trade hit a snag.  And now, Anderson is elsewhere.

ESPN's Jeff Passan was among those to report that after a medical issue, Anderson was close to being traded elsewhere:

The Seattle Mariners are finalizing a deal to acquire left-hander Tyler Anderson from the Pittsburgh Pirates, sources tell ESPN.

The Pirates thought they had a deal today for Anderson with Philadelphia, but it fell through on medical review. Seattle went and got him instead.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2021

The trade has been finalized.

The issue was with Phillies prospect Cristian Hernandez, reports Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia:

The Phillies, 6-4 losers to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night, thought they had struck a deal with Pittsburgh for lefty Tyler Anderson earlier in the day, but the deal stalled when the Pirates didn’t like what they saw on the medical report of minor-league pitcher Cristian Hernandez, one of two players that the Phillies had agreed to part with.

The Pirates instead received two players from the Seattle Mariners instead.

So it appeared the Phillies had their first deal ahead of the July 30 trade deadline, but it's back to the drawing board for the Phillies.  After losing to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night, the Phillies returned to the .500 mark.   The New York Mets lost to the Atlanta Braves 12-5, so the Phillies lost no ground.  They remain 3.5 games out of first place.

The Phillies may be close to making their first move ahead of Friday's 4:00 p.m. MLB Trade Deadline.  With the Phillies having needs at starting pitcher, relief pitcher, and center field, they will likely need to make multiple moves.  At least one move - starting pitcher - may be crossed off their list.

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Phillies are close to a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates for left-handed starter Tyler Anderson:

Tyler Anderson close to being dealt to Phillies

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 27, 2021

Anderson has been scratched from his scheduled start tonight.

Anderson is 5-8 with a 4.35 earned run average for the Pirates in 2021.  That might not sound impressive.  However, one thing Anderson does is last deeper into games.   Anderson has not pitched fewer than five innings in any start in 2021.

Anderson is also 2-0 with a 2.50 earned run average in July.

Originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies, Anderson spent four seasons there before joining the San Francisco Giants in 2020.  He signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to 2021.

UPDATE: The details of the trade appear to be set, reported by Pittsburgh's Jason Mackey, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 93.7 the Fan, and KDKA:  

Sources: Tyler Anderson traded to Phillies for Cristian Hernandez and Abrahan Gutierrez. It's final.

— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) July 27, 2021

UPDATE #2 - 5:55 ET: Apparently Anderson is not close to being a Phillie:

Hear Anderson to Phillies trade has hit a snag. Not sure the cause.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 27, 2021

What in the world. So Tyler Anderson, wearing Pirates gear, is throwing in the bullpen.

— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) July 27, 2021

UPDATE #3: Phillies Lose Out on Anderson

The deal fell apart.  Read the reason why here.

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

At his weekend press conference, Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher made it clear that the team put a lot of faith in younger players last season and that it contributed to the struggles. With that in mind, he made it a point to include the possibility of adding another veteran defenseman or forward in addition to a second goaltender needed on the roster.

On Tuesday, a veteran defenseman was indeed added. The Flyers have signed Keith Yandle to a one-year deal worth $900,000.

By Siobhan Nolan, Contributing Writer

According to multiple sources, the Union are gearing up to add two new players to their current roster.

The players in question are Venezuelan midfielder Jesus Bueno, who currently plays for Deportivo Lara in the Venezuelan Primera Division, and Brazilian forward Matheus Davo, who plays for Corinthians in Brazil’s Serie A.

Bueno would be acquired on a permanent deal, while it’s looking like Davo would come to Philadelphia on a year-long loan, with the Union retaining a purchase option as part of the agreement.

Bueno is a 22-year-old midfielder, who is able to play as a No. 6 or No. 8. He has made 76 appearances for Deportivo Lara, and is currently the club’s captain. His versatility in the midfield will give Jim Curtin even more options for rotating his midfield diamond, experimenting with formations including Bueno, Alejandro Bedoya, Leon Flach, and Bueno’s fellow Venezuelan, Jose Martinez.

Davo is a 21-year-old forward who would add some much-needed depth to Curtin’s options up front. He would most likely be filling in as a second striker, partnering with the likes of Kacper Przybylko, Cory Burke, and Sergio Santos. Davo has played with Guarani FC in Brazil’s Serie B on loan, where he registered two goals and three assists in 1,000 minutes with the club.

MLS insider Tom Bogert broke the news that the Union are in a position to finalize these signings, while Marcelo Braga of Globo initially reported the Union’s interest in Davo, and Mario Sanchez of Mundo es un Balon first reported the club’s interest in Bueno.

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

After spending the better part of the last week making changes from the outside, the Flyers spent Monday taking care of some internal moves.

First, the Flyers announced that they have re-signed defenseman Sam Morin to a one-year, $750,000 deal. GM Chuck Fletcher had said just days earlier that a deal with Morin was nearing the finish line.

In addition, the Flyers extended qualifying offers to forwards Connor Bunnaman and David Kase, defenseman Travis Sanheim, and goalie Carter Hart. They did not qualify an offer to forward Pascal Laberge, meaning he will become a free agent on Wednesday.