Philadelphia Phillies Have 'Inquired' About Trade Package for Kyle Tucker

The Philadelphia Phillies have reached out to the Houston Astros regarding a trade to acquire Kyle Tucker.

Sep 21, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) celebrates his home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Plenty of people around the league expected the Philadelphia Phillies to be one of the most aggressive teams this offseason, but that has not happened so far.

There's still time for them to get something done that overhauls their roster, especially with them shopping Alec Bohm and being named a destination Nolan Arenado would waive his no-trade clause for, but with more and more high-profile players coming off the board, the clock is ticking.

Enter Kyle Tucker.

Following a statement made by Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown where he said he'd listen to offers for everyone on their roster, that has created a frenzy for teams when it comes to acquiring the superstar outfielder.

And the Phillies are reportedly in the mix.

"The Phillies also had been among the teams that at least inquired and tried to find a package that would work with the Astros," writes Joel Sherman of The New York Post.

That would be a massive addition for Philadelphia.

After missing out on Juan Soto and seeing him go their division rivals, answering by bringing in Tucker to bolster their outfield unit would be a major win.

The Phillies have long been seen as a perfect spot for the MVP-caliber slugger, and with Nick Castellanos having two more years on his deal before hitting free agency again, Tucker could be the long-term replacement in right field if the two sides can agree to a lucrative extension.

But that's putting the cart way ahead of the horse.

It's going to be expensive to even pry Tucker away from the Astros.

"The Astros are prioritizing major league-ready corner infielders and starting pitching if they move Tucker. In first baseman Matt Shaw (the Cubs top prospect, according to MLB.com), third baseman Cam Smith and 2024 All-Star Isaac Paredes ... Houston is said to be very interested in AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil. It is possible that Gil and Ben Rice could front a package that at least gets the Yankees to the table," the insider adds.

Philadelphia is somewhere in between where the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees are in terms of assets.

The Cubs, like Sherman points out, would likely deal a singular Major Leaguer before using a plethora of prospects to get something done, while the Yankees would have to mainly deal from their MLB roster.

The Phillies could do a mix.

They have a strong enough farm system that would allow them to shell out some interesting pieces, while also moving a player or two - perhaps Castellanos - to Houston.

Whatever comes out of this will be seen.

Dave Dombrowski has been aggressive in the past, and with Philadelphia desperately needing outfield help, Tucker could be this year's splash move.