With labor uncertainty hanging over the 2027 season, the trade market may be headed for a different kind of winter, and the Phillies could find themselves with more leverage than usual. Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that teams may be less inclined to move players with one year of control left for prospects this month because no one is sure what the 2027 season will look like.
That opens the door for pending free agents to carry extra weight in trade talks, and Philadelphia has a few names that fit that mold. Jhoan Duran, Zack Wheeler, Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh, Brad Keller, and Tim Mayza are all set to reach free agency before the 2028 season if they are not extended, giving the Phillies a collection of contracts that could draw interest from clubs looking to make a deal under this setup.
The idea of moving Wheeler or Duran sounds far-fetched, and for good reason. Still, if Philadelphia wants to address its struggling offense, almost every other piece on the roster has to be considered. Stott and Marsh stand out as two of the more intriguing trade chips, especially because both carry real value in the market.
According to Spotrac’s Market Value Average Annual Value, Stott leads the Phillies’ group at $12.6 million AAV, followed by Duran at $11.3 million AAV, Marsh at $11 million AAV and Mayza at $1.9 million AAV. Wheeler and Keller are expected to retire at the end of their current deals, so Spotrac does not list a market value for either player.
Stott’s value also shows up on Spotrac’s 2028 MLB Free Agent list for position players, where he sits fifth based on the projection. Ronald Acuna Jr.
($36.5M AAV), Bo Bichette ($30.5M AAV), Jeremy Pena ($17.8M AAV), and Isaac Paredes ($24.9M AAV) are the only position players ahead of him. After making a smooth move to third base during the 2026 season, it would be difficult to picture Stott leaving Citizens Bank Park without a major return, with Sandy Alcantara ($19.5 AAV) mentioned as the kind of headline piece that could come back in a deal.
Marsh is another name that could matter if Philadelphia decides to chase offense from the right side. Even after second-half struggles pushed him into platoon duty late in the season, he still showed All-Star-worthy ability in the first half of 2026. That makes him a possible centerpiece if the Phillies were to pursue a catcher such as William Contreras ($14.3M AAV) or Adley Rutschman ($7.9M AAV).
Mayza may not jump off the page at first glance, but his contract could still be useful in the right package. That nearly $2 million in value might be enough to interest the Detroit Tigers in a move involving Matt Vierling ($3.2M AAV), which would give Philadelphia another right-handed bat to help balance the lineup.
From a front-office standpoint, that kind of deal-making could help the Phillies improve where they need it while keeping the books under control. For now, that may be the only realistic path for general managers around the league until the grievance between MLB and the MLBPA is resolved.
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