The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be buyers ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline, but they could also trade from their MLB roster.
Philadelphia could use an upgrade in the outfield, and they can also acquire more pitching help. Ahead of the August 3 trade deadline, MLB insider Mitch Bannon of The Athletic shared a mock trade that sees the Phillies and Blue Jays pulling off a trade.
Phillies acquire:
Blue Jays acquire:
The proposed three-player deal is intriguing as Philadelphia goes in win-now mode by trading Crawford, who’s under team control for years. They get Varsho, a pending free agent, who’s a stellar defensive center fielder with some pop, and Hoffman, who has another year of control and has been dominant as of late after a poor start.
Philadelphia would acquire Varsho, who’s one of the best defensive center fielders in all of baseball. He’s hitting .239 with 7 home runs and 25 RBIs, and although the bat hasn’t been there this season, he is much better than he’s showing.
Hoffman, meanwhile, could be a high-leverage reliever and return to Philadelphia. The reliever played for the Phillies in 2023 and 2024. He’s 5-6 with a 4.46 ERA in 45 games, but in his last 15 games, he’s 1-2 with a 1.20 ERA in 15 games, showing he’s been much better after a poor start. Hoffman was also beloved by his ex-Phillies teammates, so he’d fit right into the locker room.
The Phillies, meanwhile, would part ways with Crawford as Varsho would take over his spot. Crawford has five more years of team control left and is hitting .257 with 2 home runs and 22 RBIs. He’d be the Blue Jays’ long-term answer at center field, replacing Varsho.
Analyst Explains Phillies-Blue Jays Swap
The proposed trade would be a bold move and Bannon believes it makes sense for both sides.
The Phillies would upgrade their MLB roster while the Blue Jays look towards the future after this year’s disappointment.
“A deal of this magnitude is difficult to find comparisons for, but it’s the sort of big-swing trade that a gunslinger like Phillies president Dave Dombrowski tends to make,” Bannon wrote. “There’s admittedly some nostalgia to this trade, sending Hoffman back to the franchise where he flourished in 2023 and 2024, and Varsho to the team that his father, Gary, and namesake, Darren Daulton, both played for. But Varsho represents a clear centre-field upgrade for a contending Phillies team, and Hoffman gives them another strikeout weapon at the back of the bullpen.
“Pegging Crawford’s value is pretty difficult. He hits the ball consistently, but almost always on the ground. He has game-breaking speed, but that hasn’t translated into elite outfield play. With the 22-year-old having five more years of team control left, the Phillies might not be interested in moving him.”
The Phillies are chasing down the Atlanta Braves and are looking to add to their roster.
Philadelphia Linked to Being Active
With the Phillies in the playoff mix, Philadelphia is expected to be active on the trade front.
Ahead of the deadline, Phillies insider Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic believes the team could trade off their roster for an upgrade.
“Trades may require some creativity given the state of the Phillies’ farm system, which ranks among the league’s worst. Perhaps they trade from the major-league roster to alleviate the strain on the farm system. However they make it happen, the Phillies could certainly use a better bat and maybe some starting depth,” Varnes wrote.
Philadelphia is 56-46.
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