Phillies must avoid this trade proposal unless something drastically changes in near future

Phillies must avoid this trade proposal unless something drastically changes in near future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It’s tough to get a clear sense of how the Philadelphia Phillies have looked over the last week or so, but the record indicates they’re playing much better baseball, sitting at 7-3 over their last 10 games. The Phillies need a big boost if they want to get back into the mix in the National League East, sitting at 16-20 overall and nine games back of the first-place Atlanta Braves.

The Phillies don’t really have much of a choice but to go out and make the right and big moves at the trade deadline. If this team is even close to being in the mix, it will have to go out and add multiple guys, and an intriguing one was recently floated in the form of outfielder Lars Nootbaar of the St. Louis Cardinals.

“The Philadelphia Phillies are another team that needs a boost. Lars Nootbaar hasn’t made his season debut yet after undergoing surgery on both of his heels this past offseason, but he is expected to return to the St. Louis Cardinals’ lineup in just a few weeks.

“The Cardinals have been great this season, but president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom has already insinuated that the plan for the season hasn’t changed. Which could make Nootbaar expendable. The Phillies are 14-20 on the season and could use some more outfield depth. Nootbaar could be penciled in anywhere in the outfield,” Patrick McAvoy of SI wrote.

Nootbaar has quietly put together some really impressive years over the first five or so seasons of his big league career.

His best came in the 2022 campaign when he posted a 124 OPS+, but he’s been rather consistent since. I don’t think that he’s the savior the Phillies are looking for, so the price here would be the biggest question, but if they can get him for a reasonable price and not have to move a few top prospects, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a chance at this point.
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