Yankees should explore this offseason trade with the Phillies

The Yankees should call up the Phillies, who seem like they’re in a bind.

Is Bryce Harper about to play through a rebuild in Philadelphia? We heard what the Phillies’ ownership had to say about the 2020 financial losses and that they will not be in the bidding for JT Realmuto … so does that mean the team is going to sell off some other players to expedite what we can expect to be a re-tool? If so, the New York Yankees can help!

If they’re not keeping Realmuto, they can’t expect to contend with short-term pieces like Jean Segura and Andrew McCutchen. And if they’re not handing out contracts … perhaps Aaron Nola could be had for the right price in a trade?

There’s no way the Phillies will be able to unload Zack Wheeler’s contract and this current roster, without any further upgrades, isn’t going anywhere. Nola is their best trade piece, and the Phillies can sell very high to better themselves in the short- and long-term.

It’s tough to part ways with one of your best pitchers, but Philadelphia needs a colossal change because whatever they’re doing now is not working. And if your front office is too dumb to reveal the correct information pertaining to financial losses during the pandemic to the press, then maybe it’s dumb enough to make short-sighted roster decisions (spoiler alert: the Phillies are!).

So here’s the deal. Nola is the only player on this roster that can yield a significant haul in a trade. He’s emerged as a top-of-the-rotation starter since 2017 and is signed through 2022 for $32 million. Let’s check out that information further.

Career Stats:

• 58-40 with a 3.47 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 922 strikeouts in 139 starts (842.2 innings)

Contract breakdown:

• 2021: $12.25 million
• 2022: $15.5 million
• 2023: $16 million team option with a $4.25 million buyout

The one shrewd move the front office has made in years could be the one that helps them fix this team. Then again, we’ve heard absolutely nothing about trade rumors surrounding Nola, which likely means this has yet to even cross their minds or that another team would have to blow them away with an offer.

So what if the Yankees came knocking with this package:

• Clint Frazier
• Deivi Garcia
• Miguel Andujar
• No. 9 prospect pitcher Yoendrys Gomez

While it seems like a bit much, it’s really not. Frazier has to be involved in any significant trade for a top starter. One of the Yankees young starters will need to go as well. Then you have to sweeten the deal a bit with an MLB-level talent like Andujar, who could perhaps benefit from a change of scenery and rediscover his hot bat. And finally, a prospect pitcher for good measure. This helps the Phillies for 2021 and beyond in terms of roster depth and saving money.

This could honestly be one of the best chances the Yankees have at acquiring a No. 2 starter for a solid price. That is, if the Phillies are looking to make sweeping changes in wake of their 2020 losses that have apparently put them in an unfavorable position.

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