With the Los Angeles Angels headed for another 90-loss season, the baseball world continues to ask them to free star outfielder Mike Trout. The latest to do so is Philadelphia radio host Joe Giglio of 94 WIP. Giglio views Trout as the missing piece the Philadelphia Phillies need to win a World Series.
“If you start a lineup with Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Mike Trout, you pick the order Don Mattingly, pick it out of a hat, it doesn’t matter,” said Giglio. “If you start this lineup with these three future Hall of Famers, and this pitching staff, and this closer, you can win the World Series.”
Trout, 34, grew up an hour south of Philadelphia in Milleville, New Jersey. He grew up a Philadelphia sports fan, as noted by his appearances at Eagles games. A trade to the Phillies serves as a homecoming for one of baseball’s greatest players.
General manager Preston Mattingly and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski have a clear mandate to fix their roster. Trout fits the most obvious need for the club, but a deal is easier said than done.
Why the Phillies Might Consider a Mike Trout Trade
The Phillies have gotten virtually no production from their right-handed bats. On the season, they rank 29th in wRC+ (65) in 2026. Only the Pittsburgh Pirates have gotten worse results in that metric.
What makes the team metric even worse is that not a single right-handed hitter on the roster has a wRC+ better than 79. The lack of production from that side of the plate has hamstrung their offense, which is averaging less than four runs scored per game, forcing them to rely more on their vaunted pitching staff to carry the load.
Entering play on May 28, the Phillies are one game back of the St. Louis Cardinals for the final National League Wild Card spot. FanGraphs is particularly bullish on their chances of qualifying for the postseason, putting them at 51.9%. That leads all National League contenders, with only the Arizona Diamondbacks next at 50%.
The Phillies will have to skate by with their current group of hitters until the end of July. That means continue to hold out, hoping that Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, Adolis Garcia, and Edmundo Sosa can get hot at the plate. Bohm and Garcia at least have been above-average bats against left-handers, but have been miserable against right-handers.
Trout serves as an upgrade over any of their right-handed bats. Even in the post-peak phase of his career, he’s carrying a .232/.394/.474 slash with 13 homers and a 144 wRC+ in 2026. While the average is down compared to past seasons, his power impact is still capable of flipping a game’s momentum with one swing of the bat.
Such a move would be considered an “all-in” move, considering the high-risk, high-reward nature of a potential Trout trade. But whether it’s the best move the club can make is very debatable.
Why a Mike Trout Trade Doesn’t Work for the Phillies
Simply put, Mike Trout doesn’t want to be traded despite the Angels having a rudderless ship. The Philadelphia native has 10-5 rights and can shut down any trade. While the Phillies may be a more attractive destination, given how close to home it is, the future Hall of Famer has found a new home in Anaheim.
Beyond whether or not Trout would even accept a trade to Philadelphia involves a lot of moving parts. The Phillies have to negotiate how much of Trout’s future salaries they’re paying, along with the return going to Los Angeles. They’re already past the fourth luxury tax threshold, so every dollar they add to payroll will cost them $2.12.
Considering the cost to acquire talent, the Phillies have to be judicious with who they use their resources to acquire. While a Trout trade is a fun idea to discuss on the radio, there are too many obstacles for Mattingly and Dombrowski to navigate around to make it happen. Financials, prospect cost, defensive fit, and Trout’s extensive injury history in recent years are three such examples.
While the Phillies need to add a right-handed bat to their lineup, they might be looking at the wrong outfielder. It’s a weak market for right-handed bats, with Taylor Ward being the only obvious add candidate.
The Baltimore Orioles‘ left fielder has played through a bone bruise, which happened when he was hit by a pitch. He was forced to adopt a more patient approach at the plate, relying on walks to remain productive. However, now that he’s more than a month out from the injury, the slug should return in time for the Phillies to make that move.
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