Since Alec Bohm was put on the trade market this offseason by the Philadelphia Phillies, many of their fans have wondered what potential package they could receive in return. Would it be useful pieces that they could deploy straight into their 2025 lineup? Or would they receive some valuable high-ceiling prospects that are close to MLB-ready and could make significant contributions in the not-so-distant future?
Amidst all the trade talk, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com had some fun by coming up with a Black Friday edition of potential blockbuster trade ideas. Among them included one that involved Bohm and the Phillies in a proposed three-way trade with the St. Louis Cardinals and Seattle Mariners. The transaction would be as follows:
Some stars are on the move in this @castrovince hypothetical deal 👀 pic.twitter.com/CIGOwt7Wyg
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 26, 2024
So the Phillies wouldn't be losing just their star third baseman, but also their top outfield prospect Justin Crawford, as well as their No. 6 prospect Mick Abel, according to MLB Pipeline.
The Mariners become the ultimate destination where Bohm would land, while the Cardinals would get both Phillies prospects plus another from Seattle in outfielder Lazaro Montes. Through it all, Philadelphia would end up with eight-time All-Star Nolan Arenado, top closer Ryan Helsley, who was the 2024 league leader in saves, once-promising pitching stud prospect Emerson Hancock and everyone’s favorite asset, cash considerations.
Phillies fans rip proposed three-way trade with Cardinals and Mariners
With such an outrageous proposal, at least from the Phillies' standpoint, how did their faithful react? Well, many irate Phillies supporters on X let the world know what they thought about the hypothetical trade.
One user, Let’s Go Flyers (@amostjamos), thought Arenado is past his prime at this point in his career. So, the cost of Bohm plus two prospects was just way too much. Another user, Gobirds! (@WRnation123) seconded this thought and added that Arenado’s salary would be an albatross for the Phillies.
To give up 2 of our prospects just to move on from Bohm sounds ridiculous. If this was Arenado from 3-4 years ago, maybe
— Let’s Go Flyers (@amostjamos) November 26, 2024
Another user, Keith L (@buttermilk67), believes that the Phillies would be silly to go through with the trade, especially when two of the three main pieces that they would receive back currently have major flaws in more ways than one.
I honestly don't know why the Phillies would do this. Trade Bohm, a top OF prospect, and a top pitching prospect for a 3B on the wrong side of 30 owed a lot of money, a top reliever, and a depth SP with a history of shoulder issues
— Keith L (@buttermilk67) November 26, 2024
As for user Derrike Saich (@DSaich42), he wasn't totally against the Phillies giving up quality top prospects, but only if the return had the same quality coming back, which clearly isn't the case in this instance.
As a Phillies fan I don’t wanna touch this trade. Or any trade moving those 2 prospects that doesn’t include Logan Gilbert.
— Derrike Saich (@DSaich42) November 26, 2024
David Lasdon (@WTPDavid) certainly believes that the trade would actually make the Phillies worse off at third base. In addition, the huge sacrifice of two of their best prospects in the organization for one season for a top closer just wasn’t worth it.
This is a terrible deal for the Phillies. They are downgrading at 3B for a more expensive player. Arenado is done. They are giving up their CF and a top pitching prospect for 1 year of a closer.
— David Lasdon (@WTPDavid) November 26, 2024
Finally, user DrunkPhilsFans (@DrunkPhilsFans) might have had the best reaction of all, right from the master himself.
Youd have to be drunk. Wait…what?
— DrunkPhilsFans (@DrunkPhilsFans) November 26, 2024
Perhaps Castrovince somehow forgot it was actually Black Friday and not April Fool’s Day.
Nevertheless, for Phillies fans everywhere, they are certainly not laughing at this one no matter how you put it. But it's a good thing Philadelphia has president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski running the show, as he will make sure nothing like this would even have a slim chance to materialize.
So, the final consensus for this trade proposal from the fans' perspective? Looks like it's time for the Phillies to put it into the trash and move on.