Phillies Unsurprisingly Named Top Landing Spot for Angels' Star Slugger

Should the Philadelphia Phillies be considered the top landing spot for a star play?

Jul 25, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; A detailed view of a Hall of Fame patch on a Philadelphia Phillies hat resting in the dugout during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies have been playing some good baseball of late and are trying to claw their way back into contention after a slow start. 

Following getting off to arguably the worst start in the majors, the Phillies have found a spark following their decision to fire manager Rob Thomson. Even though the team had won a lot of games with Thomson and he brought them to the World Series after taking over in 2022, the timing to try something different made sense. 

Don Mattingly has done a nice job since taking over, but the real reason for the improvements has been the play on the field. The starting rotation has been really strong and is living up to expectations, while the lineup has also seen better results. 

However, even though the lineup has been better, there are still a couple of areas where making some improvements would make sense for the team. One of them would be to add an impact bat from the right side. 

Zachary D. Rymer recently wrote about some landing spots for Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout. Unsurprisingly, the Phillies were named a potential team for him to be traded to. 

Trout To Philadelphia Makes Sense

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Due to the struggles of the Angels, it looks like they are going to be trending toward being a seller once again this year. Los Angeles has not had the type of success you would expect with a player of the caliber of Trout on the team, and perhaps the time has come for them to trade him. 

Despite missing a ton of time the last several years, the former AL MVP has been healthy and performing at a high level in 2026. With four years at a steep price tag left on his contract, the time for Los Angeles to try and move him appears to be now. 

With a need for some more help from the right-hand side of the plate, Trout makes a ton of sense for Philadelphia, especially since he has proven to be healthy so far. This is a team that has struggled a ton against left-handed pitching, and that is something Trout would be able to change instantly. 

While the $37.1 million he is owed annually for the next four seasons is a hefty price, the Angels would likely eat some of that in any potential trade. Overall, with a need for a talented right-handed bat, Trout is going to be a name heavily linked to the Phillies.