That Balls Outta Here
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Phillies: 3 best trade targets from MLBTR’s Top 25 list

By George Stockburger

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 20: Phillies general manager Matt Klentak of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on prior to the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park on September 20, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 20: Phillies general manager Matt Klentak of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on prior to the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park on September 20, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 27: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs in action during a game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on August 27, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Kris Bryant

Perhaps the biggest star potentially available for the Phillies this offseason is Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant.

Buster Olney of ESPN said a Phillies-Cubs trade involving Bryant “makes sense” given the Phillies need at the position and the Cubs desire to shed payroll.

A former MVP, Bryant is almost guaranteed to hit you 30 home runs with a .280 batting average every year. Playing 81 games in Citizens Bank Park would only improve those numbers for Bryant, a career .361 hitter with four home runs during his 15 career games in Philadelphia.

Bryant is one of the best hitting third basemen in the game, though he’s had at least 10 errors at third base every season of his young career in Chicago.

As Olney noted in his report, Bryant is also good friends with Bryce Harper and both are clients of Scott Boras.

Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies /

Philadelphia Phillies

The biggest hold up in a deal involving Bryant is a service time grievance hanging over the Cubs this offseason. Chicago called Bryant up in mid-April of his rookie season but was able to accrue an extra season of control. If Bryant wins his grievance, he would be eligible for free agency in after the 2020 season instead of after the 2021 season.

Philadelphia is very high on third base prospect Alec Bohm, saying they expect him to contribute at the big league level in 2020. Some think Bohm doesn’t have the glove to play third and is better suited in left field or first base. Rhys Hoskins currently holds the first base job, and Andrew McCutchen is signed on to play left field.

Any deal for Bryant would likely include Bohm, which would sting for most fans and the organization. It makes little sense to trade six cheap, team controlled seasons of a potential superstar in Bohm for no more than two seasons of Bryant, who would likely command one of the games biggest contracts.

It’s still a situation to watch for the Phillies, who appear to have Scott Kingery penciled in to play third after signing Didi Gregorius and likely moving Jean Segura to second base.

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