Philadelphia Phillies fans are going into the 2024 season hungrier than ever before. After losing in the World Series in 2022 and falling just short of the fall classic in 2023, everything tastes bitter in the City of Brotherly Love.
The nice thing is Phillies fans know their team is right there and ready to pounce, it's just a matter of time. Going into the offseason, the priority was to re-sign pending free agent Aaron Nola, and they accomplished that quickly. Other than that, there is not a big move they need to make.
Unless...
The Los Angeles Angels cleaned house after another disappointing 2023 season. Shohei Ohtani is all but guaranteed to sign elsewhere and the Angles are left to look ahead to the future. They have yet to be able to construct a winning team around one of the greats in the game, Mike Trout, and there has been a lingering healthy debate as to if he should stay or if they should look to trade him to start fresh. All signs point to Trout staying in Southern California, but what if he didn't?
We all know Trout is from Philadelphia. We've seen him at Eagles and Sixers games and we've heard Bryce Harper pitch him to come join him at the Bank. Trout is a generational talent playing in the late night of west coast games and we all want better for him. Should the Phills be the ones to step up and make a move, or should they keep the course as is?
Why It's a Bad Idea
Look, it'd be a story for cinema for Trout to come to Philadelphia and help lead the Phillies to a World Series championship. But making a move like this, especially right now, feels way out of proportion, unnecessary, and irresponsible on so many different levels. This team is so close to the cusp, a massive altering of the roster and future would just not make sense to do right now.
First of all, Trout's contract is huge and mostly guaranteed. The Phills have already tied their hitch to Harper's wagon long term. Financially speaking, there would not be enough flexibility to have both those all-stars on the roster, plus Nola's new contract, plus Trea Turner's deal, and still be able to have a supporting cast and add elsewhere if and as needed.
The Phillies also have to be smart and look at what the give would be to land Trout. Johan Rojas would almost certainly be gone, as well as other key prospects like Mick Abel, Aiden Miller, and pitcher Andrew Painter. On top of that, you'd probably have to add in another veteran like Nick Castellanos. This would be a massive shuffling, restructuring, and dismantling of a roster that is ready to win right now and potentially for years to come. And, for what? A good story and, at most, two possible chances at a title?
But, I guess it is Mike Trout.
Why It's Actually the Best Thing the Phillies Could Do
Yes, it's Mike Trout. Philly boy through and through. Birds season ticket holder and sometimes Sixers guest. He's a guy that might be more recognized in Delco than OC and could have whatever he wanted at Reading Terminal Market for free - especially if he started patrolling center at the Bank.
When Harper signed with the Phillies, he wanted no options and no outs, he just wanted to be a Phill and stay a Phill. He's a Las Vegas boy who loves the spotlight and has found it in an east coast city that he loves and the city has seemingly loved him back. He's embraced everything Philly is about and his efforts do not go unnoticed.
Now picture all of that with a guy that is actually from Philly.
Trout is so good that the spotlight needs him. Until Ohtani came along, Trout was the one generational talent everyone traveled far and wide to see play baseball. We've spent 13 years catching his highlights in the morning because nobody can stay up for the game. Ohtani saw what they did to Trout and then to him, and now he's bouncing. The Angels and their fans do not appreciate what they have had all this time and it's criminal.
The Phillies have a chance to right one of the greatest wrongs in the sports long history by bringing Trout to Philly, home, where he belongs. There is no cost too high for the storybook ending of a lifetime.
More Philadelphia Phillies news and rumors: