The Philadelphia Phillies are in a precarious position entering Wednesday night.
With one more loss to the rival New York Mets, the Phillies will be eliminated from postseason contention in their first round of action. After two years of making deep runs as an underdog Wild Card team, the Phillies are getting a taste of what it's like to be the hunted.
Moving forward, the Phillies won't ever surprise their National League foes again. They won the division this season, they have a lineup full of superstars, and they're spending almost as big as anyone. There's a lot of pressure on these Phils to win a title in the Bryce Harper era and so far, they have yet to cash in.
Outfield was a huge pain point for the Phillies in 2024, and they may well look to add to that mix this winter if they fall short of a title. One target they were rumored to be going after at this season's trade deadline could be sitting there waiting for them.
Luis Robert Jr., the Chicago White Sox center fielder with a 2023 All-Star appearance and Silver Slugger Award under his belt, was recently named as an offseason trade candidate by Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller.
"Robert ended up having a rough 2024 campaign, posting an OPS (.657) exactly 200 points below where he finished the previous season. But he did play in 93 out of a possible 102 games from June 4 onward and stole a career-high 23 bases," Miller said.
"Those were good signs from a guy with durability concerns of his own, and there now should be plenty of teams willing to buy low on Robert bouncing back in the slugging department. He is owed $15M next season, followed by a pair of $20M club options for 2026 and 2027."
It's always a risk to trade for a player coming off a down year, but this one is a risk the Phillies should take. Robert has a 38-homer season under his belt as recently as 2023, and the entire Phillies starting outfield combined for 42 homers this year.
Should Robert rebound to his All-Star form, the Phillies will actually be getting a bargain. Players who can put up five-WAR seasons shouldn't be attainable for under $20 million per year, but the Phillies would have to risk prospect capital rather than money to do so.
If the Phillies lose Wednesday, they're going to be more desperate than ever to return to a World Series in 2025. Adding Robert could be the move that gets them there.
More MLB: Phillies' Dave Dombrowski gives surprising answer about club's 'championship window'
