The Phillies have plenty on their plate as the trade deadline approaches, but Francisco Lindor should not be near the top of the list.
Philadelphia is trying to clean up a rough start to the second half and keep itself positioned as one of the National League’s better teams. That means addressing real problems, not chasing a name that doesn’t fit. The rotation’s back end has been a concern, and the bullpen is expected to get attention too - possibly more than one arm if the Phillies want to patch things properly.
That’s why the idea of going after Lindor feels so off. Zachary D.
Rymer of Bleacher Report recently floated a trade scenario that would send Aaron Nola and Aidan Miller to the Mets in a deal for the struggling shortstop. On paper, moving Nola’s contract might sound appealing.
In practice, though, Philadelphia already has Trea Turner locked in at shortstop on a long-term deal, which makes the fit awkward at best.
Lindor’s numbers this season don’t exactly make the case stronger. In 46 games, he has hit .233/.315/.398 with six home runs and 16 RBI. For a 32-year-old player, that kind of drop in production is exactly the sort of thing that should give any interested team pause.
The bigger issue is roster construction. The Phillies need help, but not the kind that creates another expensive long-term commitment at a spot they’ve already settled.
If they’re going to add offense, a better path would be targeting an outfielder on an expiring deal. That would make a lot more sense than forcing Lindor into a lineup that already has a shortstop in place.
So while Philadelphia has room to improve, chasing Lindor would be a strange way to go about it.
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