2) Phillies trade for an outfielder and a bad contract: Lane Thomas and Patrick Corbin
A far more notorious contract than the Steven Matz deal is the money the Washington Nationals are paying Patrick Corbin. In three of the last four seasons, including the ongoing campaign, he has led the league in hits allowed. The man has gotten hammered after the 2019 season. The Nationals owe him another $35.41 million next year.
The burdensome Corbin contract would help give the Washington Nationals some relief even if they can part with a portion of the remainder of the deal. For the Phillies to take it on, they need to get outfielder Lane Thomas.
Controlled through the 2025 season, Thomas has exploded this season and is well on his way to setting multiple career highs. He’s no stranger to getting dealt at the deadline. He was in a similar situation as O’Neill with the Cardinals in 2021 when he was sent to Washington in exchange for Jon Lester. Since joining the Nationals, he has slowly gained more attention as a guy who can hit for some pretty decent power.
The good thing about this trade is the Phillies are getting a stud who is playing well this year and should remain on the roster. The bad, of course, is how much payroll Corbin will eat up next year. Is it worth it?
Corbin is a one season problem for the Phillies. They’d probably need to send the Nationals at least one halfway decent prospect to make this work if only because it’s a trade within the division. It seems like the Phillies would have nothing to lose but cash and maybe one or two mid-level prospects. It’ll be worth it.