ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – AUGUST 23: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels looks on during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on August 23, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The Phillies are Mike Trout’s hometown team, which could be an incentive for Mike Trout to approve a trade to them.
The Angels are likely to be on the market as their owner Arte Moreno has announced that he is likely going to sell the team. Mike Trout has 10-and-5 rights (10 years in the majors and five with the same team) so he would have to approve of a trade to a team. One team that he could approve it to is the Philadelphia Phillies.
They have been like the Angels in recent years in that they have not made the playoffs but they are in a much better spot than the Angels right now. The Phillies currently are in the Wild Card hunt as they have a hold on the second of three NL Wild Car spots (the Padres have the third Wild Card and are 2.5 games back of the Phillies).
Phillies: A dream trade package to get Mike Trout
Getting Mike Trout (if he is healthy) could be enough to put the Phillies over the top next season … but they would still have to trade a lot to get him.
Phillies Get
OF Mike Trout
Angels Get
RHP Andrew Painter
RHP Mick Abel
LHP Erik Miller
SS Bryson Stott
The Angels desperately need some pitching, which is why they have been an awful team for years now. Painter was just promoted to Double-A but he is MLB.com’s #25 overall prospect. He was Philadelphia’s first round draft pick last year so he is very highly regarded. Abel was their first round pick in 2020. Like Painter, he is also in MLB.com’s Top 100 list (#57 overall) and he was also just promoted to Double-A.
Miller is Philadelphia’s #7 overall prospect but he’s in Triple-A. He has split the year between the rotation and bullpen but he likely won’t be MLB-ready until 2023.
Stott graduated from the prospect lists this season since he is a rookie this year but he was #45 on MLB.com’s Top 100 list entering the 2022 season.
It would be a lot for the Phillies to give up but for the controllability that Trout offers (if he’s healthy), he would be worth it for the Phillies.