While other major-market teams have been active in reshaping their rosters, the Philadelphia Phillies have remained relatively quiet this offseason.
The New York Mets have made waves by signing Juan Soto to a record-breaking contract, the New York Yankees have made trades for Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger, and the Chicago Cubs have secured superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker in a major trade with the Houston Astros.
The Phillies may have shown interest in some of these stars, especially Tucker, who provides a powerful bat in a corner outfield position. Before the Cubs finalized their deal for Tucker, which involved Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski, and Cam Smith, Destiny Lugardo of Phillies Nation suggested a potential trade that could have brought him to Philadelphia.
Lugardo proposed that Cristopher Sánchez alone might have been enough to land Tucker. Sánchez, coming off a breakout All-Star season in 2024, is expected to be the Phillies’ third starter behind Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, but he could be a frontline starter for many teams. He posted a 3.32 ERA in 31 starts, including two complete games and a shutout, and even received some Cy Young votes.
At 28 years old and with just $22.5 million remaining over the next four seasons, Sánchez offers considerable upside at a relatively low cost. Meanwhile, Tucker is set to hit free agency after the 2025 season, making Sánchez a potential trade asset for a team seeking controllable talent for the long term.
Lugardo also suggested that the Phillies could have assembled a trade package similar to what the Cubs eventually offered, proposing a deal that would send Alec Bohm, Aiden Miller, and Moisés Chace to the Astros for Tucker.
“Whether it’s Sánchez for Tucker, Bohm, Miller, and Chace for Tucker, or something similar, it would have been a steep price to pay,” Lugardo noted. “But given the Phillies’ World Series aspirations heading into 2025, going all-in for a premium talent like Tucker would have made sense.”
In the end, it appears the Phillies either decided not to pursue Tucker or the Astros preferred the Cubs’ offer. As the Phillies’ roster largely remains unchanged following a disappointing 2024 season, fans may be hoping for a significant addition before it’s too late.
Leave a Reply