Should Philadelphia Phillies Trade Their Star Slugger?

If the Philadelphia Phillies feel like they need to make big changes this offseason, there's a chance they could trade their star slugger for other pieces.

The Philadelphia Phillies' front office will be tasked with figuring out what went wrong during their NLCS collapse to ensure they can bring home a World Series title.

They were close last year when they made it to the Fall Classic before ultimately falling to the Houston Astros.

It felt like this year's team had an opportunity to win the elusive title before they fell short of the World Series.

Now, president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, needs to figure out the necessary additions and subtractions before the 2024 season begins.

One player who could find himself on the way out of town is star slugger Nick Castellanos.

He signed a five-year, $100 million contract with the Phillies in 2022.

His tenure has been marred by ups and downs.

Castellanos struggled in 2022 before becoming an All-Star in 2023.

But one thing that has been consistent during his time in Philadelphia is his postseason struggles.

The slugger took the baseball world by storm in the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves, but completely disappeared in the NLCS, ending the series going hitless in his final 23 at-bats.

During the 2022 playoffs he recorded a slash line of .185/.232/.246 with zero home runs, seven RBI and more strikeouts (18) than hits (12).

While this postseason got off to a much better start, he still ended with 14 strikeouts compared to 10 hits.

For the type of contract he has, that's not good enough when the games mean more.

If Dombrowski feels like he can upgrade the roster by making trades, Castellanos is likely first on the list to be shipped out of town.

The Phillies' executive has made it clear that they are looking to add more pitching depth, whether that's by re-signing Aaron Nola or adding more pieces in free agency.

Getting Castellanos' contract off the books could help them meet the large figure that Nola will be looking for this offseason.

Philadelphia is already projected to enter the 2024 season with the highest payroll in baseball.

They could be looking to offload his contract to add more pitching or another player that will be a more consistent hitter in the playoffs.