It is officially Major League Baseball trade season when teams aim to improve their rosters before the final two-month stretch of the regular season. The trade deadline can turn clubs from fringe playoff teams to legitimate contenders, and can also turn non-contenders into rebuild mode.
The Philadelphia Phillies are one of the teams that have World Series aspirations. However, like pretty much any other team, they have some holes that they could clear up, like in the center of the outfield and the bullpen.
For the Minnesota Twins, they are under .500, but not necessarily fully out of the playoff race. If this massive trade proposal were to take place, however, they may be sent into a slight rebuild.
MLB Writer Floats Trade Proposal for Byron Buxton
The Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton is putting it all together. He has stayed healthy and has 20 home runs with a .879 OPS in 73 games. ESPN writer David Schoenfield floated the idea that the Philadelphia Phillies could be in on Buxton.
The potential deal would include giving up top prospect Andrew Painter and outfielder Justin Crawford.
Here is what Shoenfield wrote about the potential deal:
“The Phillies, Reds and Royals all could use an outfielder to add some punch to their lineups, although in Cincinnati’s case, its biggest hole is at third base. Philadelphia has a lot riding on 2025 given the age of its lineup, and executive Dave Dombrowski knows how to go all-in. In this case, that would mean parting with one of the top pitching prospects in the game in Painter, plus a promising young outfielder hitting well at Triple-A”
A deal like this would immediately make the Phillies an ultimate threat to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Philadelphia already has a strong lineup, but the addition of a slugger like Buxton would be a monumental deal that would shake up the league. Buxton is 31 years old, signed through 2028, and is on pace to have a career-high in fWAR.
Could This Deal Get Done?
There is a case to be made for both sides of this debate, but it hinges on whether the Minnesota Twins believe they can still compete for an American League Wild Card spot. The division is a lost cause, and the Wild Card may be too if they don’t finish this month strong. Now, trading your best player isn’t ideal for the future, but with impending free agents, the Twins’ roster could be shaken up before next season anyway.
Buxton is one of the best defensive center fielders in the game, but the Philadelphia Phillies are in search of a center fielder who can also hit, which Buxton provides with his versatile offensive ability. He can hit the ball out of the park, but can also stretch doubles into triples. There’s no doubt that giving up on Painter to win now may backfire for Philadelphia if he becomes a true ace and the Phillies don’t win the World Series, but Buxton could also be the future face of the Phillies outfield for several years to come.
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