PHILLIES URGED TO BOLSTER OUTFIELD BY TRADING FOR BYRON BUXTON
The Philadelphia Phillies have persistently dealt with production issues from their outfield in recent seasons.
Last season, Philadelphia attempted to improve its outfield consistency issues by bringing in Max Kepler and trading for Harrison Bader before the trade deadline. Despite boasting one of the best records in baseball, the Phillies fell short again in the playoffs.
Philadelphia’s outfield won’t include Kepler, Bader, or Nick Castellanos this season, and could use more outfield production. Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer pitched a trade idea, urging the Phillies to trade rookie outfielder Justin Crawford, along with Aaron Escobar and Gage Wood, for Minnesota Twins star slugger Byron Buxton.
“This is partially about the stubborn weakness the Phillies have had in center field, but more about them properly going all-in to get past the Los Angeles Dodgers to make it back to the World Series,” Rymer wrote Wednesday. “It’s a tall order that requires one more big swing, and Buxton has more than enough upside to justify such a swing on him. Since Buxton is signed through 2028 at just $15.1 million per year, he’s worth a huge haul in a trade.
“Per Baseball America, this trade would net the Twins the No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 prospects from the Phillies’ farm system. And yet, this is also just as much about what’s right for Buxton. He has a no-trade clause that he was utterly unwilling to waive last July, but that stance had reportedly softened by November. And just last month, he was airing his frustration with the Twins’ leadership for how it handled him during the winter. The 32-year-old frankly deserves better.”
Buxton was named an All-Star for the second time in his career last season, slashing .264/.327/.551 with 35 home runs and 83 RBIs. Giving up that much in a trade for the 31-year-old slugger may seem like a lot, but Buxton is under contract through the 2028 season and would add a lot of power and stability to Philadelphia’s outfield.
Parting with Crawford would be difficult for the Phillies, with the 22-year-old outfielder boasting an impressive .322 average over four seasons in the minor leagues. Still, if they are looking to win now, it may be better to bring in a slugger like Buxton than bank on Crawford to keep up that level of performance in his rookie season.
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2026-03-04T20:33:17Z
