The Philadelphia Phillies should kick the tires on a Willson Contreras trade

Could the Philadelphia Phillies swing a trade for catcher Willson Contreras?

At the moment, the Philadelphia Phillies number one priority this offseason is still bringing back 2x All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto. The team reportedly made some sort of contact last month (might’ve laid out an offer?), and Dave Dombrowski has repeatedly highlighted the team’s desire to see J.T. back for the 2021 season.

However, if Realmuto ends up signing elsewhere, the team has to get together a backup plan of sorts. With James McCann off the market, the options in free agency are limited, so turning to the trade market might be the better strategy altogether.

Following the deal that sent Yu Darvish to San Diego, the Chicago Cubs have made it clear that they want to shed salary heading into the new year. The team’s championship window has all but closed, and it appears they’re gearing up for a bit of a rebuild of sorts. According to mlbtraderumors.com the Cubs have begun openly shopping 2x All-Star catcher Willson Contreras.

More from Section 215

• 4 Eagles on the Bubble Who Have Clinched Their 53-Man Roster Spots
• Best Pennsylvania Sportsbook Promos: Win $650 GUARANTEED Bonus PLUS $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket
• 3 Punters the Eagles Must Target to Replace Arryn Siposs
• Cowboys Trey Lance Trade Proves How Screwed They Are With Dak Prescott
• Devon Allen Took Britain Covey’s Job on Eagles

A crucial piece to the team’s 2016 world championship – the Chicago backstop is coming off a slight down year in 2020, however, he still posted an OPS of .788 (better than most catchers). His career OPS is an .814, which definitely ranks towards the top of all major league catchers. The real reason for his arrival on the trade block has nothing to do with his performance, it’s solely because of his salary. In a league being crushed by declining revenue due to COVID-19, $5-7 million is currently viewed as “too much” to pay a player.

For the Philadelphia Phillies, $7 million sounds like a pretty sweet bargain considering the fact that Realmuto is projected to get anywhere from $25 to $30 million. While it’s obviously unfair to compare Contreras to someone of Realmuto’s stature, the Cubs catcher is still a multi-time All-Star who hasn’t turned 30 yet. Not only would the Phillies be getting cheaper at the catcher position heading into 2021, but they’d also be getting younger.

The obvious sticking point to acquiring Contreras is that the Phillies would have to give up assets in a trade, whereas Realmuto can simply be signed with money. Dombrowski loves himself a good trade, but the Phils’ depleted farm system leaves them with minimal flexibility on the trade market.

The one point that could lean in the Phillies favor is that the Cubs likely wouldn’t ask for much in return, as it appears they’re fully embracing the rebuild strategy. They didn’t get any elite prospects back in return for Darvish, despite him coming off a spectacular 2020 campaign. With Chicago ownership pressing to shed salary, the Phillies could swoop in and take advantage.

Ultimately speaking, Contreras still doesn’t compare to Realmuto in terms of offensive and defensive production. The Philadelphia Phillies should continue their push to bring back J.T. for the longterm, and should gladly pay him $25+ million a year if that’s what he wants. However, if Realmuto ends up simply unobtainable, pivoting to Contreras would be a solid “plan B.” He’s available to be had, he’s been productive the last few seasons, and most importantly he’s on a very cheap contract. All good things for where the Phillies are at with their roster.