The Philadelphia Phillies need to make some big moves by the time the July 31 MLB trade deadline comes and goes. There's no denying that. The outfield is one area they could sure use some reinforcements. Unfortunately, one name that had surfaced as a possible deadline target has been unequivocally taken off the table.
Minnesota Twins All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton isn't planning on leaving Minnesota anytime soon. According to Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post, the 31-year-old Buxton has no intention of waiving his no-trade clause that was built into his seven-year extension he signed in 2021.
“I’m going to be a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life,” Buxton said from Atlanta during All-Star festivities, per Sanchez. “It’s the best feeling in the world, knowing I can walk into a clubhouse that says ‘Minnesota Twins’ for the rest of my life.”
Trade deadline rumors about Byron Buxton joining the Phillies barely got off the ground
ESPN's David Schoenfield proposed that the Phillies could be the ideal team to put together a trade package to pry Buxton and the $45 million he's owed through 2028 from the Twins.
The argument can be made that trading for Buxton might have been a risky proposition thanks to his injury history, which includes wrist, thumb, groin, head, toe, shoulder, hip, hand, and knee, per Sanchez. However, there's no denying his impact on the field when he's healthy. Which he has been this season.
In 78 games, Buxton is batting .289 with a .925 OPS, 21 home runs, 56 RBIs, 64 runs scored and 17 stolen bases. He's now a two-time All-Star and has a Gold Glove and a Platinum Glove to his name. But he'll continue plying his trade in Minnesota.
The Phillies, meanwhile, will have to find an alternative answer as they have continued to struggle to find a solution in their outfield mix.
Phillies' outfield still needs help, even if it's not Byron Buxton
Max Kepler has been nothing short of a disastrous free agent signing. He's slashing .210/.307/.371. Since complaining about his playing time, a situation that caused quite the stir in Philadelphia, on June 26, his slash line looks like this: .216/.348/.297. He might be making it easy for the Phillies to move on at the trade deadline.
Brandon Marsh has at least turned his season around after his dreadful start. He's now hitting .259 on the season with a .303/.364/.419 since returning from his April injury. But he's mainly playing against right-handed pitching, so the Phillies still need a right-handed bat to plug in against lefties.
Johan Rojas went into the break hitting .364 in 12 July plate appearances. However, after slashing .153/.218/.222 from May 1 through the end of June, he has proven that he will not be the solution from the right side of the plate.
Word around the league is that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is gearing up for an aggressive trade deadline. He'll just have to do it with out a veteran like Buxton on the table.