OF Brent Rooker and RHP Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics
Although the Robert-Kopech combo sounds like an unbeatable package, it may come with some concern given Robert’s injury history. If the Phillies don’t want to take any chances with potential health issues, another big combo that could perhaps match or maybe even beat the White Sox duo is outfielder Brent Rooker and reliever Mason Miller from the Oakland Athletics.
Rooker may not be as defensively sound as Robert, as he has seen more time as a designated hitter in recent years, but he can still hold his own in the field with a decent .978 fielding percentage with six outfield assists in 130 total games. More importantly, his bat can closely match Robert, with the ability to average 30+ home runs and 80+ RBI over a 162-game pace.
But what may actually put this package over the top is the inclusion of 25-year-old sensation Mason Miller. With the ability to hit above 100 mph consistently with his fastball, he has become one of the most dominant closers in just his second season in the league.
The 2024 All-Star has been unstoppable this season, sporting a 2.27 ERA, 0.86 WHIP along with a whopping 70 strikeouts in just 39 2/3 innings pitched. Added to the fact that he has years of control all the way through the 2029 season, it makes Miller a super-valuable piece not only for just this year but for potentially multiple future years, helping any team to extend their contention window.
This Athletics combo won’t come cheap. Ruben Amaro Jr. suggested on The Phillies Show podcast that the Phillies need to be willing to part with one of their top prospects in Painter, Miller, Abel or Crawford for both Rooker and Miller. But let’s face it, with prices likely to go up, Philadelphia will likely need to add another top-10 prospect plus change to get any discussions started.