Philadelphia Phillies: A trade for Blake Snell makes a lot of sense

Trading for Blake Snell makes sense for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Now that the Philadelphia Phillies have figured out who is going to be running their front office, we can finally begin to look at realistic moves this baseball team can make. After being prematurely yanked in Game 6 of the World Series, it appears Blake Snell‘s days with the Tampa Bay Rays may be numbered.

Enter: the Philadelphia Phillies.

Recently, David Schoenfield of ESPN looked at a few different trade ideas that would have the Rays sending their ace Blake Snell else where. Sprinkled into that piece was a very interesting trade idea involving the Philadelphia Phillies. In this proposed deal, the Phightins’ were sending top pitching prospect Spencer Howard, outfielder Adam Haseley, as well as this past years first-round pick, right handed pitcher Mick Abel to the Rays in exchange for Blake Snell and center fielder Kevin Kiermaier.

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On the surface, I am sure many Phillies fans will view this as an overpay. However, this kind of move would be in line with how Dave Dombrowski likes to operate, and it would also be a move that would set the Phils’ up to compete in 2021.

In Snell, the Philadelphia Phillies would be acquiring a bonafide top of the rotation arm and a former Cy Young winner. Since making his debut back in 2016, he has posted a record of 42-30 with an ERA of 3.24 in 108 career starts. His Cy Young winning season in 2018 was absurd, as he posted video game like numbers to the tune of a 21-5 record with an ERA of 1.89. Yes, you read that correctly. An ERA of 1.89, absolutely ridiculous.

This is a guy that you can send to the mound every five days and feel pretty darn good about your chances of winning that ballgame. Snell is an absolute gamer; a rotation of him, Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, and Zach Eflin would certainly be one of the best in all of Major League Baseball. Not to mention, he is a left-hander which is something the Phillies have desperately needed in their rotation since they dealt Cole Hamels back in the summer of 2015.

It was hard not to feel bad for Snell when he was pulled in that fateful Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cruising along with a 1-0 lead in the 6th inning with only two hits allowed, no walks and 9 strikeouts on only 73 pitches, Rays manager Kevin Cash decided it was time to go to his bullpen. Needless to say, it backfired instantly as the Dodgers jumped all over the pen’, which ultimately led to the Dodgers winning the game 3-1 and winning the World Series.

Snell was visibly upset when being pulled, as he had every right to be. Kevin Cash stole that moment from Snell, and it is no surprise at all that this situation seems to have soured any future in Tampa Bay for the left-hander.

In Kevin Kiermaier, the Phillies would be getting a massive upgrade defensively in center field. Since debuting back in 2013, Kiermaier has won three gold gloves, been awarded the platinum glove, and has posted a Defensive WAR of 16.6. Needless to say, he is an insanely good defensive outfielder. On the offensive side of things, he certainly is nothing special, but he is so good defensively that you can live with his rather pedestrian offensive game.

He has posted a career slash line of .248/.307/.720, and his 162 game averages of 16 home runs and 57 runs batted in are actually better than you would expect from watching him play.

This is purely a trade idea that was thrown out there randomly, but it does makes a lot of sense for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2021. While it would not be ideal to part with two young promising arms in Howard and Abel, you have to remember Snell is only 28 years old, and is currently under contract through the 2023 season at a very reasonable price of $10 million per season. Spencer Howard is already 24 years old, and Mick Abel has yet to throw a single pitch above the high school level.

In terms of losing Adam Haseley, I can’t say I am in love with that idea, however for the return you would be getting in Snell and Kiermaier, it is a pill the Phillies would need to swallow.

I do believe the consensus to this type of deal from Phillies fans would be to say no, but it is something that needs to be thought long and hard about. The core of this team is in place with Bryce Harper, Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler set to be here for the longterm. If the Phils’ can find a way to get J.T. Realmuto extended, that makes this trade idea make even more sense.

The Philadelphia Phillies are set to win now; a move for Blake Snell would make winning even more realistic in 2021 and beyond.