Inside The Phillies

Should the Phillies Make This Huge Trade Splash?

One All-Star center fielder has reportedly caught the attention of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Kade Kistner

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies have holes to fill this offseason. The 2022 season and the primes of Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto depend on it. That's why some have mentioned that the Phillies could be a darkhorse when it comes to signing a big name free agent.

However, one thing is almost certain: Philadelphia will make a move and a trade seems to be the likely scenario in obtaining said talent. 

One player that is reportedly of trade interest to the Phillies is Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds. According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, Philadelphia has been "aggressively" pursuing the center fielder. 

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds
Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds / David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Prying Reynolds from the Pirates would take a king's ransom, but the Phillies have the prospects to make it happen. Young players like Mick Abel, Bryson Stott, and Rafael Marchan all have trade value.

Whether or not Philadelphia wants to part with players like that are a different story. Yet, two things are for certain. The first is that President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski is incredibly aggressive. The second is that Reynolds is an incredible player, a type that the three prospects named above may never, and likely, will never become. 

In 2021, Reynolds was named an All-Star for the first time in his career. He slashed .303/.390/.522 and his .303 average was good enough for twelfth in the entire MLB. None of that even mentions his defensive prowess in center field, a dire need for the Phillies. Of all qualified center fielders, Reynolds' .994 fielding-percentage was the third highest in all of baseball. 

USATSI_16721168
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Reynolds, at just 24-years-old, is only seeing his stock rise. He is under team control through 2025. He is exactly what the Phillies need and would make a great fit. One only needs to imagine what an outfield of Harper and Reynolds would look like to make their mouth water. 

This is one of those reports/rumors that seems like it could have some merit to it. This is the type of player the Phillies are looking for: Impact bat, fantastic defense in center, controllable, and cheap. But, you may have to give up the farm for them.

However, if the front office pulls this off, it does allow for them to spend real money in free agency for more impact players. 

The franchise could be all in.

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Kade Kistner
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.

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