The Philadelphia Phillies have been so close to a championship for the last few seasons, but they took a step back last season.
Coming off a disappointing first-round exit in the 2024 playoffs, the Phillies may need one more big bat, especially in the outfield, to improve their chances at redemption. What if that bat turns out to be their long-sought trade target?
Mike Trout has been the Phillies’ perennial white whale in far-fetched trade conversations. The Millville, New Jersey native frequently attends Philadelphia Eagles games decked out in midnight green, and meanwhile, the Phillies have long needed better outfield production.
The problem, of course, is that Trout signed a 12-year, $426.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels that runs through 2030, and even if the Angels would be willing to trade him (which owner Arte Moreno is likely unamenable to), he’s been injured too often to seriously consider it.
However, Michael Brauner of Philadelphia Phillies on Sports Illustrated believes that recent rumblings of the Angels’ pursuit of Pete Alonso could provide hope for Phillies fans that still want a Trout trade to happen someday.
“With Trout entering the twilight of his career and the Angels looking to potentially shed salary if they want to make a real push for Alonso, perhaps a trade could be mutually beneficial here,” Brauner wrote.
Landing Trout would be a supremely popular move with the fan base, add some desperately needed outfield help, and potentially be the difference maker the lineup needs in order to take it to the next level when things matter most in October.”
Trout, now 32, is still a lock to be a future Hall of Famer. There isn’t room here to fit in all the stats that indicate it. But all that matters in the present is how healthy he’ll be over the next six years, and which team will test their luck in getting him to stay healthy.
Could the Phillies be that team? It’s a long shot, but there’s always a chance the Angels will finally decide to blow things up, given that nothing else has worked for them in the past decade.
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