As has been the case for each of the last three seasons, the Philadelphia Phillies figure to be aggressive buyers at this year’s trade deadline.
After all, the Phillies can’t afford to sit on their hands with an aging core of Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Zach Wheeler preparing for what could possibly be their last run together. Their spotty bullpen will be the primary focus, as free-agent acquisition Jordan Romano has been a disastrous replacement for the departed Jeff Hoffman and left-hander Jose Alvarado will be unavailable for the postseason after getting suspended for PEDs. The Phillies should also look to add some more length to their lineup, as five of their nine regulars currently have an OPS+ below 100.
Yet while general manager Dave Dombrowski will be scouring the market for upgrades, he may also choose to part ways with one of his long-tenured stars. Despite Nick Castellanos being in the midst of arguably the best offensive season of his Phillies tenure, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden reveals in his Major League Baseball executive survey that some in the industry believe Castellanos’ contract and defensive limitations could force Dombrowski’s hand.
“The Castellanos rumors just never go away, and for that reason alone, multiple GMs think there’s a chance he could get moved if Philadelphia can find a better right-field option,” Bowden wrote. “He’s a well-below-average outfielder and is signed through 2026 at $20 million per year, so Philadelphia would have to pay down his contract to move him.”
For years, the Phillies have been undone by their spotty defense, and Castellanos has frequently been the main culprit. This season has been no different, as Castellanos has been worth -9 Outs Above Average in right field, leaving him with a -0.3 WAR despite his success at the plate. In an ideal world, the Phillies could just move Castellanos to DH, but that spot is already occupied by Schwarber, who ranks third in the National League with 25 home runs and may be an even worse defender than Castellanos.
Given the dearth of difference-making bats expected to be available at this year’s trade deadline, especially if the Arizona Diamondbacks decide to hold on to Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez, the Phillies may be able to capitalize on a desperate team that is willing to take on Castellanos’ contract in exchange for his potent bat. The Phillies can then turn around and acquire someone like Cedric Mullins or Jarren Duran, simultaneously upgrading their outfield defense for this season and freeing up money for more moves this winter.
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