Interesting Trade Idea Sees Philadelphia Phillies Bringing in Seiya Suzuki

This should be the trade package the Philadelphia Phillies offer to add Seiya Suzuki to this roster.

Sep 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (27) hits a double against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The prevailing thought is the Philadelphia Phillies will eventually make some major moves this winter to improve this roster, but as the offseason continues to progress and the front office stays stagnant, there is a real possibility they remain quiet.

Cody Bellinger is the latest player connected to the Phillies at one point to find a new home, having been shipped out of town by the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees in a beyond-favorable trade package that Philadelphia could have certainly met.

They might not have been willing to do so, but that is just the another example of the Phillies not doing anything while other contenders make moves.

If Philadelphia is going to do something, outfield should be the priority.

They can't go into the 2025 campaign with the same group that was in place last year, especially with there now being two data points that suggests a unit of Nick Castellanos, Johan Rojas and Brandon Marsh isn't good enough for them to win a World Series.

Nathan Ackerman of Phillies Nation put together three different trade packages that could bring slugging outfielder Seiya Suzuki in from the Cubs.

All of them are interesting, with each having their pros and cons from a Phillies standpoint.

Ranger Suarez was featured in two of them, something that should be the starting point for Philadelphia if they're to get something worked out with Chicago.

The left-hander is someone the Phillies have been shopping around despite the solid career he has put together since being called up to The Show, and even though Dave Dombrowski seems determined to bring in another starting pitcher this offseason, adding an outfielder should be at the top of their to-do list.

Here's the trade package that Philadelphia should offer: Suarez, Edmundo Sosa and Max Lazar for Suzuki.

That could be enough to get this done.

Lazar would give the Cubs another pitching option with someone who has put up a 3.24 ERA across his 128 minor league outings and 38 starts, while pitching to a 4.61 ERA in his 11 Major League relief appearances this past campaign.

Sosa would be a tough loss for the Phillies, but with Kody Clemens and Weston Wilson looking like they can be real options off the bench, moving the utility man wouldn't be debilitating.

What Suzuki would bring in consistent hitting.

He has a .278/.354/.470 slash line and 128 OPS+ during his three years in the Majors since coming over from Japan, totaling 55 homers and 193 RBI in that time as well.

His power numbers would increase by playing in the friendly confines of Citizens Bank Park, and by bringing in a Japanese player, that could help them land prized free agent Roki Sasaki, who would backfill the departing Suarez.

Even if Philadelphia isn't able to land Sasaki after they brought in Suzuki, the slugger would certainly solve the offensive issues they have in the outfield.

With two years and $38 million remaining on his deal, that is an affordable contract they would undertake during this championship window.