Phillies' Dream Trade Target Has Low Likelihood of Being Dealt

Will a dream target for the Philadelphia Phillies become available this summer?

May 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting hats and gloves sit on the bench against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at loanDepot Park. | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

As the Philadelphia Phillies continue to perform well, the team will be focused on making some improvements before the trade deadline. 

Following their terrible start to the season, the Phillies have been one of the best teams in baseball since May. Philadelphia has proven that they are once again a contender and a team to be feared in the National League. 

While winning the division might be a bit of a long shot, making the playoffs is going to be well within reach for Philadelphia. Despite the success, the team does have some problem areas that they will need to address. 

The Phillies are no strangers to being aggressive at the trade deadline, and this summer will be no different. While it still might be a bit early, teams who are going to be sellers are starting to be known based on their records and Philadelphia will be working hard to improve. 

Jeff Passan of ESPN recently predicted that Minnesota Twins star and ideal trade target for the Phillies, Byron Buxton, only has a 30 percent chance of being dealt this summer. While the number isn’t great, it’s also not impossible. 

Landing Buxton Would Be Great

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Since the Twins are once again struggling, the team is likely to be sellers once again this summer. Minnesota had a near-complete fire sale last year, but to some surprise, Buxton wasn’t one of the players dealt. 

While he is very much a logical player for the team to trade to get a haul of prospects, he holds a no-trade clause that can shut down any deal. Whether or not he would be open to leaving Minnesota remains to be seen, but there is a chance. 

For the Phillies, there are a few players who would be a better fit for them this summer. The All-Star slugger plays the outfield and is a right-handed hitter. Especially with the loss of Adolis Garcia for the rest of the season, the team is in need of help from a right-handed hitter in the outfield. 

If made available, he would be the type of impact hitter that could put the team over the top in the National League. It would be surprising if the Twins didn’t want to move Buxton this summer, but the veteran slugger holds all the cards. However, after years of losing, coming to a contender like the Phillies and being in a lineup with Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber would have to be appealing.