MLB.com lists Phillies as “ideal fit” to land reigning NL MVP at the trade deadline
MLB.com has released their “Ideal Trade Deadline Moves” for every team in the league and it appears they believe the Phillies could be targeting the reigning National League MVP.
Paul Goldschmidt to the Phillies
The need: A power threat at first base. With Rhys Hoskins out for the season recovering from surgery to reconstruct his left ACL (though he hopes to be back by the postseason), the Phillies are missing his production at first base. While Kody Clemens has filled in admirably, he doesn’t provide the pop that Hoskins has traditionally brought to the position, averaging 36 home runs per 162 games in his career.
Philadelphia’s offense, which features a dangerous lineup on paper with Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and others, is still ranked in the middle of the MLB pack. If the Phils are going to make a run at the World Series for a second consecutive year, they’ll need to improve that standing.
The answer: Paul Goldschmidt. The reigning NL MVP isn’t having a career year as he did in 2022, but he’s still very productive at the plate, with numbers that align fairly closely with his career norms. Goldy would meet the Phils’ need for power to replace Hoskins’ at first base, and, as MLB.com’s Will Letich notes, the Cardinals may end up finding it in their best interest to deal Goldschmidt prior to the Trade Deadline given that St. Louis hasn’t been able to emerge from its unusual season-long malaise and could use some young starting pitching to restock its farm system.
Goldschmidt is also under contract through the 2024 campaign, so that covers the Phils, with Hoskins scheduled to become a free agent after this season.
Check out the full article from MLB.com here >>
Adding Paul Goldschmidt to this already-lethal Phillies lineup would truly create one of the most dominant starting lineups Major League Baseball has seen in a long time…but it doesn’t really make sense.
Yes, going into the playoffs (assuming the Phillies make it) with Kody Clemens and Alec Bohm platooning at first base is less than ideal. But the Phillies’ #1 move at the trade deadline has to be starting pitching.
The Phillies are 2-10 in games that started by whatever pitcher is in the fifth spot of the rotation. Whether that’s Bailey Falter, games in May started by Matt Strahm as an opener, or Dylan Covey games, the biggest issue with this baseball team is the fifth starter.
The injury to Andrew Painter really set this rotation back at the beginning of the season, and the timeline is still unclear for the 20-year-old, although he is set to throw a 25-pitch bullpen today.
The Phillies also have a decision to make after this season. Rhys Hoskins will hit the free-agent market, and will be one of the best hitters available this upcoming winter.
Hoskins is now 30 years old and coming off a torn ACL, so there’s no guarantee that he’ll return. But Rhys is the glue guy for this team. He’s a player that’s been here through the ups and downs, and when on the field, will give you 30 HRs per season.
Trading for Paul Goldschmidt, who is under contract through the end of the 2024 season, will also cost you a haul of prospects, which the Phillies don’t really have to just throw away.
Mick Abel and Griff McGarry are the first two that would most certainly be at the top of the Cardinals list, but in the past, Dave Dombrowski has been against trading two of his top three pitching prospects.
It’s crazy to say the Cardinals are going to be heavy sellers at this deadline given their success in the regular season last year and high expectations for this season.
St. Louis is currently 27-42, trailing the Pittsburgh Pirates by eight games in the NL Central.
The Cardinals have lost five games in a row and are 2-8 over their last 10.
Don’t count the Phillies out when it comes to big moves. Dave Dombrowski has said multiple times in the past that he wants to build a dynasty in the city of Philadelphia, and adding Goldschmidt’s bat, who hit .317/.404/.578 in 2022 would certainly help.
