With the conclusion of Major League Baseball's 2024 season, the hot stove is descending upon the baseball world. Each team will look to make improvements. The Philadelphia Phillies are no exception.
After another disappointing early postseason exit, it has become clear that the organization needs to shake some things up before the start of spring training. Roster moves could come in the form of free agent signings or in the trade market.
Recent reports suggest that the Phillies could be willing to listen to trade offers on some of their notable core players.
Phillies reportedly listening to trade offers on multiple players, polarizing veteran
As the old adage goes, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. The Phillies find themselves in a spot in which they need to change something after having disappointing results in the past two postseasons.
This core group of players has enamored many fans across the Delaware Valley. However, running back the same team could prove to be detrimental to the Phillies "win now" philosophy.
With reports circulating about potential offseason moves that the club should look into, one in particular from Bob Nightengale of USA Today states that the Phillies may be willing to listen to trade offers on players such as Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh and Alec Bohm.
These players have each made significant contributions during the last three postseason runs, but Dave Dombrowski and company would be wise to at least entertain offers on these players.
Castellanos has been a polarizing player since arriving in Philadelphia. His 2024 season was his best in red pinstripes. He was able to cut down on his chase rate, but he is still a player who, at times, struggles to put the ball in play. He was certainly the Phillies' best player in the most recent NLDS, though.
The right fielder is still owed $20 million over the next two seasons. It may be difficult to get a valuable return without eating some of that money. However, if the right offer comes along and a team needs an outfielder with a track record, the Phillies will listen.
Marsh is another interesting player named in Nightengale's column. He has yet to really stick as a full-time player due to his ineffectiveness against left-handed pitching. The bearded outfielder has shown glimpses of hope with the Phillies and his defense has been good.
His contractual situation is a bit more appealing to potential suitors than his outfield counterpart in Castellanos. Marsh is under team control through the 2027 season. A team that needs outfield help could kick the tires on Marsh and the Phillies could get an enticing offer.
Bohm is in a unique situation. He is coming off one of his best overall seasons despite struggling mightily down the stretch and in the postseason. He could be appealing to teams looking for a third baseman who can put the bat on the ball.
The Phillies' third baseman is arbitration eligible for 2025 and 2026. Teams looking for a relatively affordable hot corner could be interested in Bohm. The club will need to figure something out with their infield over the next season or two if top prospect Aidan Miller continues to develop the way he has so far.
The Phillies are likely to make some sort of splash this offseason. Would trading one of these players make sense? Perhaps. They need outfield help and trading one of their steady pieces may only work if they have a backup plan to sign another outfield piece this winter.
Dombrowski is willing to make changes as he stated in his end-of-the-season press conference back in October. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki quoted the Phillies' president of baseball operations after his media time.
“You’re also open-minded to making adjustments,” Dombrowski said, per Zolecki. “I think that’s a necessity. You want to get better. You’re never happy unless you win the whole thing. We didn’t win the whole thing. I think we have a real good core of players, but I think we’ll be open-minded to make our club better. That’s really our goal."
What the organization decides to do remains to be seen. It would be surprising if the club did not make some sort of adjustment to counteract the recent early postseason exits.