After a rough start to the season that resulted in Rob Thomson being dismissed as manager, the Philadelphia Phillies have started to turn things around. They’ve won 11 of their last 15 games, improving their record to 20-22. Although there’s still room for improvement, the team is now in a far better position than it was earlier in the year.
Still, if the Phillies want to keep their momentum going and strengthen their playoff chances, they should consider making roster upgrades before the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline. Adding another impact bat to the lineup could be especially important, given that they remain four games behind in the wild card race.
Because of this, the Phillies have recently been mentioned as a possible destination for one of baseball’s biggest stars.
Phillies Named Top Trade Destination for Giants Star Rafael Devers
With the Giants sporting an 18-24 record, it is no secret that they are open to trading their players. They recently dealt catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians, and there is an expectation that more moves could be on the way. Among the Giants who are creating chatter in the rumor mill is Rafael Devers. In fact, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that the Giants are interested in dealing Devers.
Due to this, FanSided’s Chris Landers recently took a look at three potential landing spots for Devers. The Phillies were among the teams listed by Landers.
“Would Dave Dombrowski, who didn’t sign Devers to the Red Sox but did love him so much in Boston that he refused to include him in Chris Sale trade talks back in the day, be willing to roll the dice in an effort to save his own skin? If this team gets to the All-Star break mired around .500, never say never,” Landers wrote.
The idea of the Phillies trading for Devers is a fascinating one. While he has had a tough season and has an expensive contract, his excellent resume screams that he should bounce back. Keep in mind, the $313 million slugger had 35 home runs and 109 RBIs in 163 games split between the Boston Red Sox and Giants just last season. The three-time All-Star has also hit at least 32 home runs four times in his career.
With the Phillies needing another star slugger, it could make sense for them to swing a deal for Devers as they look to climb the standings. If they did, he would give them another star power hitter to work with for the front half of their lineup.
Phillies Trading for Devers Would Be A Potential High-Risk, High-Reward Move
With Devers having a tough start to this season and being in just year four of his 10-year, $313.5 million contract, there is no question that trading for him would come with a lot of risk for the Phillies.
However, given Devers’ excellent resume, trading for him could also be a high-reward deal for the Phillies if he regains his elite form. It will be interesting to see if the Phillies end up making a push for him, but it would certainly be a bold move if they do.
