Could the Philadelphia Phillies pull off this big trade?
The Philadelphia Phillies are definitely in need of some outfield assistance, as they may very well end up losing both Harrison Bader and Max Kepler to free agency, and Nick Castellanos seems to have worn out his welcome in the City of Brotherly Love.
Kyle Tucker is out there, but it doesn't seem like the Phillies want to spend that type of money, particularly if they are going to be re-signing Kyle Schwarber.
So where will Philadelphia turn?
Well, Matt Gelb of The Athletic has pitched a rather intriguing trade target for the Phillies: Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward.
"The trick will be finding a team that has an abundance at one position and a need the Phillies can fill. The Los Angeles Angels, who could fix an outfield logjam by dealing either Taylor Ward or Jo Adell, remain a team to monitor," Gelb wrote. "They need a third baseman. But it might not be as simple as a one-for-one Ward for Alec Bohm trade. Ward will command considerable interest, even with only one year of club control, because the free-agent outfielder market is so light."
Ward slashed .228/.317/.475 with 36 home runs and 103 RBI over 663 plate appearances this past season. His .792 OPS was the second-best mark of his career.
But would Ward actually solve Philadelphia's outfield woes?
Since becoming a full-time player for the Angels in 2022, Ward has been consistently above average — albeit slightly — at the plate. He did post an .833 OPS in 2022, but the past three years, he has been under .800, bottoming out at .748 in 2024. Not terrible, but certainly not elite.
Ward also isn't all that great defensively. He managed a minus-4 DRS this past season and is at a minus-14 DRS in his career playing the outfield.
It's not like Ward is among the worst of the worst with his glove, but clearly, he leaves a lot to be desired in that department.
Ward turns 32 years old next month, so he probably won't be getting any better at this point. Perhaps playing in hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park will help him, but 2025 marked the first season he ever hit 30 homers.
The Dayton, Oh. native has one year left until he hits free agency, so the Phillies would have no financial obligation to him beyond 2026. But they would also be taking the risk of parting with valuable prospects for a questionable, aging player who could walk after one season.
In a free-agent market that is slim on outfielders, though, Ward might end up being one of the best options for Philadelphia.