Philadelphia Phillies Could Pursue Mets Star Outfielder at Trade Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets could pull off an intra-divisional blockbuster trade.

Kade Kistner | Jul 22, 2023

Philadelphia Phillies Could Pursue Mets Star Outfielder at Trade Deadline /

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Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are open for business and in the market for a corner outfielder.

After Bryce Harper made his dazzling debut at first base on Friday night, it appears all systems are go to try and move Kyle Schwarber to the designated hitter spot while searching for a more capable defensive upgrade in left field.

One name the Phillies were linked to as a potential fit from MLB Trade Rumors is outfielder Tommy Pham.

Pham is slashing .272/.356/.475 with nine home runs this season. The issue with the 34-year-old is he is dealing with a groin injury that has been bothering him since before the MLB All-Star break.

However, MRI came back negative so he doesn't appear in line to miss much time.

Pham is on a one-year, $6 million contract and is the perfect player for the Mets to move at the deadline as they look to offload and reload for another run next season.

He wouldn't come at a steep cost for Philadelphia who is looking to keep its best prospects in their system.

The left fielder also slots in nicely to the Phillies lineup as another right hander, something Philadelphia could use.

Overall, it's a deal that makes sense for both parties and any talk about the difficulty of pulling off an intra-divisional trade is fair. However, Pham is on a one-year deal and is a free agent at the end of the season. He won't be haunting the Mets.

And the prospect Philadelphia is willing to give up for a 34-year-old with injury concerns on an expiring deal isn't likely to be a player that will cause Dave Dombrowski to lose sleep at night five years down the road.

It's a trade that just makes sense from both angles.

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Published Jul 22, 2023

KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.