The Phillies’ latest postseason collapse could open the door to a wild offseason swing, and the Angels are the kind of team that should at least be dreaming about it.
Philadelphia is coming off another ugly exit, this time a Wild Card series loss to the division-rival Atlanta Braves, and the roster suddenly looks like a pricey veteran group that has already peaked. That is exactly the sort of setup that could push a team into making uncomfortable choices, and Bryce Harper would be the name to watch if the Phillies decide to get bold. For Los Angeles, the fit is obvious enough to set fans buzzing: Harper next to Mike Trout in Anaheim.
Angels fans have spent years hearing the same demand from the other side - that Trout should be shipped to his hometown Phillies. Now the script may have flipped. If Philadelphia really wants to shake things up, the argument goes, maybe it should be the club sending Harper west instead.
The financial picture makes the idea at least worth floating. Philadelphia has Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola and Cristopher Sanchez all signed for years at steep AAVs.
Zack Wheeler has one year and $42 million left, while J.T. Realmuto has two years and $30 million remaining.
If there is a team staring at a roster that could be reshaped for cap and rebuilding reasons, it is the Phillies.
The Angels, meanwhile, are in a different place after their ownership change. Stan Kroenke has replaced Arte Moreno as the majority shareholder, and that alone makes the franchise feel like it has a different kind of ceiling. With that in mind, a Harper pursuit does not look as far-fetched as it once might have.
Harper does have a no-trade clause, but the chance to play alongside Trout could be enough to make him consider waiving it, especially if tensions rise with the Phillies after this latest disappointment. The two stars have been linked for years, compared constantly, and have even been teammates on Team USA. They are not close friends, but there is clearly mutual respect there.
There is also the long-term angle. Harper is signed through 2031, Trout through 2030, which means the Angels could theoretically let them finish their careers together.
Harper, who will soon be 34, is due about $25 million a year for the next five years. That kind of money would naturally make Angels fans nervous, given the club’s history with expensive veterans.
But there is one important wrinkle: right now, the Angels do not have any player besides Trout under guaranteed contract after the 2027 season.
On the field, the upside would be immediate. The Angels had the worst OPS in baseball, while Harper ranked eighth among qualified National League hitters in 2026 with a .865 OPS.
Trout has already said he is open to moving from center field to left, which would give the Angels a possible Trout-Harper corner-outfield setup next season. Harper mainly played right field after the Phillies added Luis Arraez to handle first base at the trade deadline.
And of course, both players could still cycle through designated hitter duties as well.
If Kroenke is willing to absorb most of Harper’s contract through 2031, the Angels might not even need to surrender a massive return to get him. A deal could look more like the one the Red Sox received when the Giants took on Rafael Devers’ full contract: Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, James Tibbs and Jose Bello. That is the kind of framework that would make this impossible idea at least worth putting on the board.
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Luis Arraez stands out as the cleaner fit on paper because of the contact skills and strikeout avoidance that would give the lineup a different shape, while Ketel Marte brings more overall impact but comes with a more complicated profile. Martes productivity is obvious, yet his off-field issues and looming contract make him a tougher call, even as the Diamondbacks weigh moving him for payroll and attitude reasons. The Angels can also look inward by shifting pieces around the diamond, but the bigger question is whether they can finally land a solution that lasts. [Read more 🡒]