MLB insider links Phillies to under-the-radar Astros outfield trade candidate

The MLB trade deadline isn’t until the end of July, but it’s never too early to start to think about making moves for the playoff push.

The Philadelphia Phillies are the top team in the league, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get better.

MLB insider links Phillies to under-the-radar Astros outfield trade candidate

One name that might not necessarily be on the trade block but could garner some interest is Houston Astros center fielder Jake Meyers, per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.

"You look at the way the Phillies have struggled to get consistent production out of center field," Morosi said during his segment on MLB Central. "I would say Jake Meyers is a natural trade fit for a team like the Phillies, going for it, wanting to maybe shore up that one spot on their club for the trade deadline and beyond."

Meyers came up as a potential trade candidate this past offseason before the Astros ultimately decided not to move on from the 27-year-old.

The former 13th-round pick in 2017 is slashing .263/.325/.429 and is off to what looks to be a career year for him. He has six home runs and 25 RBI so far in 2024, and he also plays an above-average center field.

The Phillies wouldn’t just be getting a rental out of Meyers if they were to swing a trade with Houston. Meyers is under team control through 2027 and is in what could be considered the prime of his career.

The biggest weak spot for the first place Phillies is the outfield. The club has been rumored to be in the market for outfield upgrades as the trade deadline approaches, and Meyers could be a cheaper and under-the-radar option.

Meyers is no Luis Robert Jr. or Kyle Tucker, but he can come to Philadelphia and help shore up the outfield heading into the second half of the season.

Is Meyers a huge upgrade over Johan Rojas? Maybe not. Would he give manager Rob Thomson more flexibility and options to work with in the outfield? Absolutely.

As the season goes on, it’s hard to expect everyone to stay healthy. Brandon Marsh went down with a hamstring injury and is still on the IL which has thinned an already weaker part of the team for the Phillies. Having a guy like Meyers would give Thomson capable options to step in and make up for the production lost in the event of an injury down the line.

It shouldn’t require the Phillies to give up much for Meyers if the Astros are willing to move on from him. A few mid-level prospects could get the job done which wouldn’t hurt the Phillies’ loaded farm system.

This has the makings of a low-risk, potentially high-reward move for Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies in their quest for a World Series championship.