The Philadelphia Phillies have a lot of work to do following another early postseason departure. This club has the talent to reach the summit, but for one reason or another, Bryce Harper has finished each season in a Phillies uniform without a championship.
Last season, Dave Dombrowski notoriously let his foot off the gas pedal at the trade deadline. Rather than sticking to his guns as an aggressive, go-for-broke GM, Dombrowski made a few minor additions and put his trust in the roster as it was built. That seemed understandable on the surface, given that the Phillies were in first place and had a lot of money, but it eventually proved unsuccessful. It turns out that the Phillies offense need more than Austin Hays.
There is significant pressure on Dombrowski to enhance the offense by 2025. However, the Phillies must also replace Taijuan Walker, who has had one of the most disappointing pitching seasons in recent memory. Walker finished the season with a 7.10 ERA and 1.72 WHIP in 19 games (15 starts). He struck out 58 in 83.2 innings, allowing a barrel rate of 13.4%, the fourth-worst in baseball.
Walker’s contract, at $18 million per season until 2026, is a burden for the Phillies. Dombrowski would like to get rid of it, but there are only so many teams prepared to take on that much bad money.
Fortunately, the St. Louis Cardinals could have the ideal trade in mind.
Phillies should dial up Cardinals about potential Nolan Arenado-Taijuan Walker trade
John Mozeliak, Chaim Bloom, and the Cardinals are planning a rebuild (or retool) in St. Louis. The idea is that St. Louis will attempt to cut costs and embrace youth, putting eight-time All-Star Nolan Arenado on the trade block.
Arenado’s deal is worth $64 million through the 2027 season, and his age (33) could be a stumbling block in trade negotiations. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, any Arenado trade would result in the Cardinals eating a portion of his remaining salary or accepting another poor contract in exchange.
This is Dave Dombrowski’s music, folks. Arenado has been a popular rumored target in Phillies circles. He’s no longer at his peak, but Arenado can still hit relatively well and is an excellent defensive third baseman. Infield defense hasn’t been a strength for Philadelphia in recent years, so Arenado’s performance in that area could be useful.
Is he better than Alec Bohm, who is frequently mentioned in offseason trade negotiations right now? Probably not. Bohm concluded last season with 3.0 WAR versus Arenado’s 2.5 WAR, and despite a late-season cold spell, Bohm had a higher OPS (.779) than Arenado (.719). The defensive gap is significant, but Arenado is 33 and has a history of injuries, so it’s understandable to worry how long it will last.
The Phillies should not consider Arenado an upgrade over Bohm. However, if a Bohm deal allows for another key arrival (Alex Bregman or Willy Adames at second base, Garrett Crochet on the pitching), Arenado might step in splendidly at the hot corner. There is some hope that his productivity can improve in a new environment and a hitter-friendly venue, such as Philadelphia. Plus, in principle, it allows you to get out of the Walker contract. The Phillies would likely need to attach a couple prospects to Walker to grease the wheels of such a trade, but Arenado will give Rob Thomson far more than Walker at this time.
