Could Phillies Pull Off Shocking Blockbuster for Pirates Rising Superstar?

Outfield continues to be a talking point for the Philadelphia Phillies.

They have one of the least productive groups across Major League Baseball, something that has plagued them the past couple of years during this championship window.

And to add even more controversy to the outlook of this unit, Nick Castellanos made headlines when he was benched for his response following getting pulled as part of a defensive substitute, only to be upstaged by Max Kepler saying his struggles are because he's not in the lineup every day and the subsequent reporting stating the Phillies are growing frustrated with Johan Rojas.

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It's a mess, and it could be the reason why Philadelphia doesn't win the World Series this year.

Once again, outfielders on the trade block have routinely been linked to the Phillies as part of their potential deadline plans, with names like Luis Robert Jr. and Cedric Mullins being the most common.

However, if Philadelphia wants to change the entire future of this position group, then a blockbuster deal to acquire center fielder Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates could be something they consider.

The Pirates are looking to do a complete fire sale before July 31.

A few weeks ago, it was reported that everyone was being shopped except for phenom pitcher Paul Skenes and Cruz, with the Pirates viewing both of those players as their cornerstones.

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But things have changed since.

Cruz was benched mid-game for a lack of effort, a decision that carried over into the following contest amid his struggles.

Recent reporting by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) seems to suggest that Pittsburgh might be souring on the prospect of keeping Cruz around as part of their future plans.

"Ace right-hander Paul Skenes and franchise icon Andrew McCutchen are the Pirates' only untouchables, according to officials briefed on the team's plans," he wrote.

The omission of Cruz in that report indicates the right offer could prompt the Pirates to part ways with someone seen as a rising superstar in the sport, and the Phillies could be the exact suitor that allows him to reach his full potential.

It will be expensive for Philadelphia to land him since Cruz has three years of club control remaining, but he could be the exact difference maker this team needs.

While the slugger's raw numbers don't exactly paint a rosy picture with a .210/.321/.419 slash line and an OPS+ under the league average of 100 while leading the Majors in strikeouts, he has hit 15 homers in 74 games this season and his underlying metrics are insane.

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Cruz's average exit velocity and bat speed are in the 100th percentile, while his hard hit and barrel rates are both in the 99th percentile.

Those figures suggest he's in for monster years going forward, and he's currently showing what his potential is in the midst of his career-best season.

Acquiring him wouldn't come without danger.

Cruz is a high risk, high reward player with a 27% chase rate, 35.3% whiff rate and 33.4% strikeout rate that puts him in the 52nd, third and first percentiles of those statistics, respectively.

That could scare away the Phillies, and it likely would make this fanbase nervous considering that is exactly what has plagued this team in the most important moments.

But the talent of Cruz is also hard to ignore.

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Some of the issues regarding his effort could be attributed to his current environment of playing in Pittsburgh, so getting into a more professional organization with mentors and veterans throughout the clubhouse might be able to solve that.

Defense is also something his detractors point to, but since he switched to center field in the 2024 season, he has recorded a total of four outs above average at that position.

It's hard to predict what the Pirates would be looking for in a deal featuring the talented 26-year-old.

Perhaps a package headlined by Mick Abel that also features some high-upside position player prospects could interest Pittsburgh, which is something Philadelphia has in spades.

There's no doubt that this would be a risky trade for the Phillies if they go down this route, but it's also something that could transform their outfield unit and help them contend this season and into the future if they can aid Cruz to reach his ceiling.

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