The Phillies didn’t exactly move a headline name when they sent Avery Owusu-Asiedu to Arizona for left-hander Kyle Backhus, but the trade is looking louder by the day.
That’s because Owusu-Asiedu has turned into a serious power source in the Diamondbacks’ system, while Philadelphia is left watching a player it once had in the pipeline take off somewhere else. The 6-foot-4, right-handed hitting center field prospect hit .258 with a .751 OPS last year between Low-A and High-A for the Phillies, with seven home runs. This season, split between the Hillsboro Hops and Double-A Sod Poodles, he has exploded for 23 home runs in 107 games.
The power hasn’t just shown up over the long haul, either. Owusu-Asiedu has put together two separate four-game homer streaks this year. In only 15 games since his Double-A promotion, he has already piled up 10 homers and 26 RBI.
For the Phillies, that makes the return look pretty thin. Backhus was a useful-looking piece at the time, especially before Philadelphia added Brooks Raley this summer and when left-handed relief help was hard to find. But Backhus hasn’t appeared with the big club since before the trade deadline, and his major league line sits at a 1.55 WHIP and 4.95 ERA in 20 innings.
He has been better at Lehigh Valley, where he owns a 2.89 ERA, but that still doesn’t change the feeling here. Philadelphia gave up a player who has suddenly found another gear, and Arizona now has the guy doing the damage.
For a Phillies farm system that isn’t exactly overflowing with run producers, it’s a tough one to watch. Francisco Renteria is still a long way off, Justin Crawford has been interesting without blowing the doors off, and Aidan Miller is still waiting to fully become what people want him to be. So when a prospect like Owusu-Asiedu starts mashing elsewhere, it stings a little more.
It also helps explain why there was a reshuffling in the farm system leadership this week. The Phillies are clearly still trying to figure out how to spot the kind of breakout Owusu-Asiedu is putting together now.
In Other News...
Phillies Fans Are Mourning A Beloved Name From Franchise History
Larry Christenson, one of the more familiar names from a defining era in Phillies history, has died unexpectedly at 72. A right-hander taken third overall in the 1972 draft, Christenson spent his entire 11-season major league career in Philadelphia and became part of the fabric of the club during a time when the franchise was building toward its long-awaited championship breakthrough.
He was part of the 1980 World Series title team, and his passing has already prompted condolences from former teammates and other Phillies figures who remembered both what he meant on the mound and the way he carried himself away from it. For a fan base that still keeps close ties to its past, Christenson's death is another reminder of how many of the people who helped shape that title run remain deeply woven into Phillies memory. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Farm System Just Got A Rare Reason For Real Hope
The Phillies farm system has taken its share of hits lately, with injuries thinning the upper levels and recent trades shaving off more of the organizational depth. Even the deal that sent prospect Ramon Marquez to the San Francisco Giants fit the broader theme: Philadelphia has not exactly been collecting outside praise for what it has coming through the pipeline.
So the focus shifts to Francisco Renteria, who gave the organization something it badly needed in the Dominican Summer League. In his first professional season, he put together a strong enough showing to win DSL MVP honors, earn recognition as a top MLB prospect and push himself into the conversation as a rising five-tool player. Ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Phillies system, Renteria is now one of the few reasons for real optimism in a group that has been short on it. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Still Have One Lineup Problem They May Regret Ignoring
The Phillies addressed two clear needs at the deadline by bringing in Luis Arraez and Brooks Raley, but they still left one familiar hole untouched: a right-handed hitting outfielder. It was a gap made harder to ignore by the clubs uneven production from right-handed bats, and it stood out as the kind of lineup imbalance contenders often try to fix before October arrives.
Jo Adell was one of the names tied to that need, and the fit made sense because of his right-handed power and ability to change a game in a hurry. Instead, he landed with the Cleveland Guardians, where he has opened hot with four home runs and 18 RBIs in his first 20 games, adding another layer to a career that has already included early struggles, injuries and plenty of projection. For the Phillies, the question now is whether passing on that type of bat will matter if the lineup keeps looking the same when the games get bigger. [Read more 🡒]