The Philadelphia Phillies entered 2024 with championship expectations. Despite winning their first National League East title since 2011, they were ousted in the NLDS by the New York Mets. Could St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado be a potential trade target as Philly looks to shake things up this winter?
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski discussed his team’s offseason plans following a premature playoff exit on Oct. 15.
“I mean, the reality is, we have a lot of good players,” he said via MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “I think we just have to be open-minded to exploring what’s out there for us, talk to some clubs and see what ends up happening. That process hasn’t started. Sometimes you trade good players for good players.”
One of those good players could be third baseman Alec Bohm. The 2024 All-Star posted a .779 OPS with 15 home runs, 44 doubles and 97 RBI in 606 plate appearances. Despite that, he found himself getting benched in the postseason amid struggles. His name is now churning through the trade rumor mill as the Phillies look to make some changes.
That’s where Arenado comes into play. The 10-time Gold Glove Award winner has a no-trade clause as part of his eight-year, $260 million contract but could waive it for the right opportunity. MLB.com’s Will Leitch thinks that could be in Philadelphia.
“He could be an ideal fit with the Phillies, particularly if, as rumored, they’re willing to trade Alec Bohm,” he said. “Arenado is not even that expensive, with three years and $74 million remaining on his contract (not counting the portion the Rockies are paying). Planning on trying to win a World Series the next three seasons? Arenado certainly can help with that.”
Arenado is entering his age-34 season after posting a .719 OPS with 16 homers and 71 RBI in 635 plate appearances in 2024. However, he’s not far removed from being a 30-homer, 100-RBI threat for St. Louis, and a change of scenery could help revive his offensive production.
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