So far, the Philadelphia Phillies have watched on the sidelines as other big moves have gone down around Major League Baseball. They shouldn’t be expected to continue that for long.
After washing out in the first round of the playoffs, the Phillies are no longer the top dogs of the National League. The Los Angeles Dodgers are defending World Series champions, while the New York Mets just landed a generational talent in Juan Soto. Plus, the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres are lurking.
A distinct theme so far for the Phillies this winter has been the idea of trading third baseman Alec Bohm to shake up the roster. Bohm, a first-time All-Star in 2024, struggled down the stretch, while some have questioned his attitude and work ethic.
Manager Rob Thomson appeared to shoot down talks of a Bohm trade earlier this week at the Winter Meetings, but that should be taken with a grain of salt. Especially when a future Hall of Fame third baseman is known to be available on the trade market.
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado has three years remaining on his contract, but the
Redbirds appear ready to move on.
On Thursday, Thomas Gauvain of FanSided proposed a blockbuster deal that would send Arenado to Philadelphia for right-handed pitchers Jean Cabrera and and Seth Johnson.
“The Phillies have a decent farm system, as they currently have four players in MLB Pipeline’s top-100 prospect list. If the Cardinals chip in some money with Arenado, perhaps St. Louis could land a top prospect from the Phillies,” Gauvain said.
“Arenado would join a talented veteran group that includes Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, JT Realmuto, Aaron Nola, and Zach Wheeler in Philly, and he wouldn’t have to be the primary offensive producer with the Phillies. That would bode well for his career.”
Arenado will be 34 in 2025, and he’s coming off a down year, posting just a .719 OPS and 101 OPS+. However, he’s an eight-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glover, so anticipating a rebound in a new city and returning to the thick of a pennant race isn’t too far-fetched.
In essence, whether this deal is possible comes down to the truth of the Bohm rumors. If Thomson’s notion that Bohm is staying in Philadelphia is true, there’s no shot this happens. But the minute Bohm gets traded, the possibility of an Arenado move skyrockets.