PHILADELPHIA – The Los Angeles Angels have recently reported that they are open to trading Mike Trout in the upcoming offseason if he were to request his way off the team.
The Phillies are one club that could entertain such a possibility for the right asking price.
Fishing for Trout
Longtime MLB writer, Bob Nightengale, appeared on the Jack Vita Show and expressed that Philadelphia would be a great landing spot for the slugger when asked about a potential trade market for him. “Well he calls his own shots because he has a no-trade clause”, Nightengale said. He further went on to say, “So, you would think Philadelphia because it’s his hometown team. Yankees, Mets. Maybe stops right around there, really. I’m not sure what the trade market would be. It depends on how much money the Angels would be willing to eat if they’d eat any. That’s a big financial commitment”.
I’d say he has a point there as Trout’s current annual salary sits at $35.5 million per year with the entire 426 million dollar contract guaranteed. Don’t get me wrong, I believe he’s worth the majority of that deal but over the past three to four seasons, his constant appearance on the IL has held him back from continuing his dominance in the league.
In 2023, Trout has only played in 83 games, and in the previous two seasons, he played in 155 games combined. The injuries tied in with the money make his trade market that much smaller due to the large amount of risk associated with the situation.
Why Philly Would Be a Great Fit
If it weren’t obvious enough, Trout is a big (and I mean HUGE) fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. This makes sense considering he was born and raised 40 minutes away from Citizens Bank and Lincoln Financial in Millville, NJ.
Aside from the local history, I think it would be insane to watch him play alongside last year’s NL MVP, Bryce Harper. Both stars have been linked to each other for quite some time and it makes sense since they shared the 2012 Rookie of the Year Awards for the AL and NL.
Sure, Trout could look at the Yankees and Mets and see potential there but both teams have delivered awfully in the 2023 season.
What’s worse? They’re both first and second in MLB with payroll and yet have nothing to show for it. The Phillies, on the other hand, are fifth in the league with payroll and are fresh off a World Series appearance with yet another one looking to be in the cards.
The Phils also currently sport the fourth-best record in the NL and have sole possession of the top Wild Card spot in the NL.
Where Things Currently Stand on the Trade Front
As of right now, Trout has shown no indication that he would like to leave the West Coast. This could change at the end of the season as the Angels have continued to show that they cannot produce a winning team while simultaneously showing that the only thing they can produce is false hope.
Not to mention, Shohei Ohtani might be on the next flight out as multiple reports stated that he cleaned his locker out after last night’s loss to the Tigers.
Could this be the end before it even began for LA? Nothing is for certain right now but Phil’s President of Baseball Operations, Dave Dombrowski, has shown that he’s no small spender depending on the player so an interesting possibility is looking to be on the horizon. This winter might be hotter than we expect as teams will be looking to turn the hot stove up and kick things into high gear.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
