At the 2024 MLB trade deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies had the golden opportunity to make a huge splash to put themselves into a more favorable position to win the World Series. By pushing all the chips to the center of the table and going "all-in" on star players, they could have secured some potential huge difference-makers down the stretch.
Instead, the Phillies took the more conservative approach and essentially pursued more specific targets to fill their needs. That way, they didn't have to empty their farm system and sacrifice their future in any significant way.
Was that the right move? Seeing how some of their rumored targets are turning out now, the Phillies may have done the right thing and dodged some huge bullets as a result. Here, we will take a look at three trade deadline disasters that the Phillies luckily avoided by not going all-in.
3 trade deadline disasters the Phillies luckily avoided by not going ‘all-in’
Luis Robert Jr.
Perhaps one of the hottest targets leading up to the deadline, Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. certainly belonged on Philadelphia’s list. Not only was he a proven star power hitter with speed and defense, he would have addressed the Phillies’ main need of help in the outfield.
He's a former Rookie of the Year finalist, as well as a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner. Coming off a huge 38-homer, 80-RBI breakout season in 2023, what wasn’t there to like about the 27-year-old All-Star?
However, 2024 has by far been Robert’s worst season of his career. Batting just a paltry .199 with a .656 OPS and 83 OPS+, injury withstanding, something just doesn’t seem right with him this year.
More significantly, since the trade deadline, Robert has a disastrous .077 batting average and .180 OPS. He has only registered three hits and two RBI, along with zero walks and 17 strikeouts since not getting moved at the trade deadline. Considering that rumors predicted it would have likely required a king’s ransom of prospects to obtain his services, the Phillies sure missed out in a good way in this instance.