Phillies' Former Top Trade Target is No Longer a Viable Option

The Philadelphia Phillies will need infield help this offseason, as both Alec Bohm and Luis Arraez are headed toward free agency, and it doesn't appear either will be back.

Of course, the Phillies could always just move Bryson Stott back to second base, but they will still need to find another answer.

The chances of Philadelphia opening 2027 with Aidan Miller at third base seem incredibly slim after he missed almost all of this past season with a back injury. So the Phillies may need to get creative here.

But you know what's one route they probably won't be pursuing? Ketel Marte.

Last offseason, Marte was a very popular trade target among Philadelphia fans, and why wouldn't he be?

The Arizona Diamondbacks star was two years removed from a top-three finish in NL MVP voting, and in 2025, he posted an .893 OPS while playing very solid defense at second base.

Of course, the Diamondbacks opted to hold on to Marte, and now, it looks like a mistake.

Marte showed serious signs of offensive decline this past year, slashing .249/.316/.432 with 22 home runs and 76 RBI over 624 plate appearances.

On top of that, the behavioral concerns that had followed Marte for quite some time bubbled to the surface over the summer, as he briefly went AWOL on his team in the middle of a playoff race.

Arizona probably should have moved Marte when it had the chance last winter. Now, his value has dipped, and clubs like the Phillies probably won't be too eager to pry him away from the desert any longer.

Marte is 33 years old and is under contract through 2030 with a player option for 2031. The money isn't bad. He is making $13.75 million next season and then $20 million in 2028. He will then collect $22 million in both 2029 and 2030 before his $11.5 million player option.

If he were still producing at an MVP level, any team would sign themselves up for that. But he isn't, and the locker-room problems are also a black eye.

Philadelphia doesn't exactly have a ton of desirable assets in its farm system, so trading those pieces for a declining, disgruntled player in Marte would not be the wisest move.

It would be very surprising if the Phillies returned to that well unless they were able to land Marte on a discount. Don't expect it to happen.