USATSI_18543340 — © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

How the Phillies Could Acquire Bryan Reynolds

One of the most coveted bats on the market could be in red pinstripes come August.

Author:
Alex Carr
Jul 6, 2022 6:00 PM EDT

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Philadelphia Phillies

It is far from a secret: the Phillies are in desperate need of a center fielder. Mickey Moniak has looked overmatched at the major league level, Odúbel Herrera has been flat-out poor, and Matt Vierling, while he has taken a major step forward, probably isn't best suited as a primary center field glove.

It's been since the days of Shane Victorino that the Phillies had a truly dependable option in center, but that may be about to change.

Bryan Reynolds may not have as good a glove as the Flyin' Hawaiian, but he certainly supersedes him at the plate. Reynolds is following up an MVP-worthy 2021 campaign with a less-strong, but still solid 2022. After a slow start, he's managed a 120 wRC+ on the season, alongside 15 home runs. His glove certainly hasn't been as impressive as it was last year, but he continues to prove his bat is well-above average.

Reynolds lays out to catch a well-struck ball by Giancarlo Stanton on Tuesday.
© Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Reynolds' greatest selling point lies in his team control. The 27-year-old will not reach free agency until 2026, and is under a team-friendly, $13.5M contract through 2023, after which he'll head into arbitration for his remaining two years, barring another extension.

From an outside perspective, it may seem like the Phillies and Pirates don't match up all that well for a blockbuster trade. The Phillies' top two prospects in Mick Abel and Andrew Painter aren't going anywhere, and Griff McGarry looks to be on the fast track to the major leagues, likely putting him out of the equation as well. Not to mention the fact that, while Logan O'Hoppe is an excellent prospect, the Pirates just drafted their catcher of the future in Henry Davis first overall in the 2021 MLB Draft.

There remains the chance that the Pirates still have questions pertaining to Henry Davis' glove, which could give them incentive to be interested in the plus-defense of O'Hoppe. Or, what about a three-team trade? Retooling teams like the Angels, who selected 20 pitchers in the 2021 MLB Draft, will likely want a young catcher to pair with their arms as they work through the farm system. The Cubs are about to surrender Willson Contreras to the trade market, they will almost certainly need a MLB replacement.

Perhaps former top prospect Jo Adell is of interest to the Pirates? O'Hoppe could head the Angels' way, while Adell and two or three prospects from the Phillies and Angels go to Pittsburgh, as Reynolds ships off to Philadelphia.

Or maybe the Cubs would feel comfortable exchanging one of their many lower-level, highly-ranked prospects like Kevin Alcantara or Pete Crow-Armstrong for O'Hoppe, sending one of them Pittsburgh's way, alongside some inclusions from the Phillies, while Reynolds goes to Philadelphia.

If they needed to, the Phillies could surely include the dynamic Johan Rojas in a trade involving Reynolds as well, providing the Pirates a high-upside piece and possible center field replacement that better suits their competitive timeline. Rojas was just promoted to Double-A Reading and is off to a hot start, but some suspect his promotion may be more of a showcase opportunity for potential suitors than anything.

The Phillies are staring down a free agent class that lacks true center fielders. They could sacrifice a chunk of their payroll to pursue someone like Brandon Nimmo, or perhaps the scuffling Cody Bellinger sees a non-tender from the Dodgers, but both of those options imply those players' current teams won't retain them.

One thing is for certain: Philadelphia can no longer idle when it comes to plugging the gaping void that is center field at Citizens Bank Park. If they're ever going to acquire a center fielder of the future, now would be the time.