Trout Position Switch Opens Door For Phillies Dream Addition! Is a Blockbuster Deal on the Horizon?
The Philadelphia Phillies have come up woefully short of their goal the past two postseasons.
Following their magical trip to the World Series in 2022, they were shockingly eliminated in the NLCS when needing just one more win to get back to the Fall Classic, and after winning the NL East title last year, they fizzled out at the end and were beaten by their archrival in the NLDS.
Instead of revamping the roster, the Phillies decided to return their core group of stars and improve on the margins, something they hope gives them a better overall team.
But going forward, Dave Dombrowski could have his eye on making a splash.
With money coming off the books next offseason, he will evaluate how things look ahead of the trade deadline which is the first time he could make a headlining addition after this quiet winter.
And based on the latest news surrounding Mike Trout, his name is going to be back in the headlines when it comes to the possibility of him coming to Philadelphia.
“He will play right field moving forward in an effort to preserve his body,” reported Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.
Trout has been crushed by injuries the last four seasons, playing over 100 games just one time in this span, getting into only 29 contests last year after he suffered a torn meniscus twice.
It’s easy to forget how good he has been during his career because he has made the playoffs just once, is a member of the Los Angeles Angels and has been on the injured list more times than the diamond in recent seasons.
But, even in his limited action, he showed how he’s still a premier player.
His OPS+ in 2021 was 194 with eight home runs before he was shut down after 36 games. He had a 6.2 bWAR with a 176 OPS+ in 2022 across his 119 contests in what was his last relatively healthy campaign. And despite only getting into 82 and 29 games the last two years, he had an OPS+ of 132 and 140, respectively.
So, if this move to right field helps Trout preserve his body and stay on the field more, then he could be a prime target of the Phillies if the Angels ever do decide to move him.
To this point, neither the future Hall of Famer nor Los Angeles has shown a desire to make that happen, but with the franchise reeling after the departure of Shohei Ohtani, they could decide to start from scratch again and get what they can for Trout.
With Nick Castellanos scheduled to hit free agency, where it’s expected he won’t return, the Phillies will be looking for a ready-made player to take over in that spot.
Right now, Kyle Tucker has been the star discussed.
Tucker has been an incredible player to this point in his career, and since he’s five years younger than Trout, he makes sense as the long-term solution in the outfield. But if Trout can stay healthy, he dwarfs what Tucker can do on the baseball field, which is saying a lot considering how good the three-time All-Star is.
Getting something done isn’t likely, though.
The Angels are going to want a monster haul in return for the face of their franchise, and Philadelphia has not shown a willingness to part ways with their truly elite prospects.
Could an exception be made for Trout?
Perhaps.
But he’s going to have to show he can stay healthy.
This move to right field could help him do just that, and it might be something that finally brings the superstar to the Phillies.
Philadelphia also has an opening in right field coming up after 2026.
