The Philadelphia Phillies don’t have many needs as they head to the offseason.
They could really use a frontline pitcher, though, especially since Aaron Nola is slated to become a free agent.
Even if they are able to retain Nola, and especially if they aren’t, they could benefit from trading some of their offensive surplus for a pitcher.
The Phillies’ idea would be getting rid of Nick Castellanos’ contract, according to MLB insider Mark Feinsand.
“The #Phillies are ‘open to the idea of’ trading OF Nick Castellanos this offseason, per @Feinsand. Castellanos, 31, has three-years and $60M remaining on his contract,” MLB Deadline News tweeted.
The #Phillies are “open to the idea of” trading OF Nick Castellanos this offseason, per @Feinsand
Castellanos, 31, has three-years and $60M remaining on his contract. pic.twitter.com/T056XA7B3r
— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) November 9, 2023
Castellanos could be a desirable trade piece for a contending team in need of offense if the Phillies are willing to eat some of his salary.
He has three years and $60 million left on his contract, which is a lot for a 31-year-old slugger with limited defensive value.
Still, Castellanos hit 37 doubles and 29 home runs in 2023, driving in 106 runs.
He showed the ability to bounce back after his ugly 2022 and could still represent an offensive upgrade for many teams in the league.
The problem with Castellanos is expecting some semblance of defense.
In 2023, he had -9 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -7 Outs Above Average (OAA), rating as one of the worst defensive right fielders in baseball.
The universal DH gives him a path towards playing time on most teams, though.
If the Phillies can get something really useful in return, they wouldn’t be against a Castellanos trade.
The post Phillies Reportedly Open To Trading A Star Player appeared first on The Cold Wire.