The Philadelphia Phillies entered the 2024 season with championship aspirations but were eliminated early in the NLDS by the New York Mets. In the aftermath, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski expressed his intent to make tough decisions in order to strengthen the roster for 2025.
“We have a lot of good players, but we need to be open to exploring what’s out there, talking to clubs, and seeing what happens,” Dombrowski said, as reported by MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “Sometimes you trade good players for good players.”
While third baseman Alec Bohm and starting pitcher Ranger Suárez have been mentioned in trade rumors, no significant moves have been made yet. Clutch Points’ Jordan Llanes suggested a bold, though “unrealistic,” trade that would send Mike Trout to Philadelphia:
- Phillies receive: Outfielder Mike Trout
- Angels receive: Outfielder Justin Crawford and starting pitcher Mick Abel
Llanes argued that the trade would benefit both teams, highlighting Crawford’s rise as an impact prospect and Abel’s potential to help the Angels’ pitching staff immediately.
However, this proposal feels like a considerable overpay, especially given Trout’s ongoing injury concerns. While the Angels aim to compete in 2025, it’s hard to imagine the Phillies fully committing to Trout’s remaining $426.5 million contract while parting with two top prospects. Still, the idea of the three-time AL MVP joining a team with playoff aspirations is enticing.
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