When trying to describe the Phillies offseason thus far, uneventful, lackluster, and fruitless are words that come to mind. Day after day the stench of complacency grows around the franchise as the front office refuses to spend money and make moves. Already on the verge of losing star catcher J.T Realmuto to the highest-bidder and failing to climb up the divisional power ranking this winter, the Phillies took another kick to the crotch Thursday evening.
It was then that the Mets pulled off a blockbuster trade for superstar infielder Francisco Lindor. Rumored to have been on the trading block for the past year or so, the 4x all-star is now headed to the Big Apple.
Although the Phillies were never in on the Lindor sweepstakes, the news of this swap comes as a major blow for the team. Having finished third in a competitive NL East last season, the ascension of the Mets is the last thing the Phils need right now.
To make matters worse, the suddenly affluent Mets are also rumored to be one of the most likely destinations for Realmuto should the talented catcher opt to jump ship. One would have to think that the arrival of Lindor only stands to help their pitch to Realmuto, as well as other free-agent options.
Whether Realmuto decides to part ways remains to be seen, but what is clear is that the Phils are quickly falling behind in the division. The front office has seemingly been sleepwalking all winter and the team is suffering as a result.
There’s still time to turn things around, but it’s hard to be encouraged about the (little) work done thus far by the Phils’ brain trust. With time running out to right the ship in preparations for the new season, one can only hope that there is a late surge in activity.
Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire
