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The Philadelphia Phillies are three wins away from entering the All-Star break atop the National League East. Kyle Schwarber and the Phillies trounced the San Francisco Giants in their series finale to climb to 54-39 on the season.
However, their record covers up some holes that need to be addressed via trade, like their outfield. A player like the Boston Red Sox's Jarren Duran is a perfect fit.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson has had issues with multiple outfielders this season. Nick Castellanos was benched for a game for something he said to the veteran skipper. Max Kepler, on the other hand, is unhappy with the size of his role in Philadelphia. More often than not, the veteran has found himself sitting with Edmundo Sosa and the rest of the Phillies' backups.
While most of Philadelphia's offense had a field day against the Giants, the left fielders were quiet. In a league so dependent on offensive production from all three outfield spots, who they have is not going to cut it. Luckily for the Phillies, there are plenty of outfielders on the market ahead of Major League Baseball's trade deadline.
Duran's name is not the most common one when looking at rumors, but he might be the best fit. The former All-Star is a good candidate to revive his season on a new team and could do so with the Phillies, according to ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan. He would be a massive upgrade for Philadelphia if they are willing to pay the price it would take to acquire him.
Here is a trade that the Phillies could offer the Red Sox for Duran before the July 31 deadline.
Phillies receive: OF Jarren Duran
Red Sox receive: SS Edmundo Sosa, 2B Aroon Escobar
Why should the Phillies trade for Duran?
Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and Rafael Devers represented the Red Sox's future last season. Now, things look drastically different. Boston traded Devers to the Giants to kick off the trade season and Abreu is fighting to hold on to his starting spot in the outfield. Duran is at risk of being replaced as well. One slip, and Alex Cora could put Roman Anthony ahead of him.
Duran was an All-Star last season but has regressed to the norm so far this year. He is not nearly as bad as his numbers would suggest, even if he never gets to his 2024 form ever again. In his current state, he is a player with a lot of potential and a potentially low price tag. A change of scenery could be all he needs to find himself again.
Playing for the Phillies is not for everyone. However, the outfielder has embraced the pressure of playing in Boston since he got to the major leagues. Duran's passion on the field leading to his most recent ejection will fit right in among Philadelphia fans. His teammates would get drastically better if this trade happened, leaving him with more flexibility and time to find his swing.
When things get serious, Duran has shown an ability to take his game to another level. The 28-year-old has yet to reach the postseason, but there are no major concerns about him shrinking away from the bright lights. His one-year deal likely means he wants to test free agency, but the Phillies could convince him in the second half of the season to sign with them long term.
Why should the Red Sox trade for Edmundo Sosa and Aroon Escobar?
Edmundo Sosa sits behind a lot of talent on Thomson's depth chart. The Phillies' infield is full of All-Stars, and Sosa can get lost in the shuffle. However, he has done really well when he has played. His 127 at-bats are not too small of a sample size, and the 29-year-old's numbers are excellent. A .276 batting average will play on any team in the league, even if his power is a little lacking.
The biggest thing that Sosa brings to the Red Sox is the positional flexibility the Phillies brought him in for in 2022. He is primarily a shortstop, but Sosa has played at second, third, left, and centerfield this season. His versatility gives Cora a lot of options when it comes to setting up his defense.
Best-case scenario, he can slot Sosa in at second while Marcelo Mayer takes Trevor Story's spot at shortstop after he is traded.
This trade is as much a bet for the Red Sox's youth as it is against Duran for Boston. Someone is going to pay the former All-Star this winter, and it likely won't be a team with plenty of players to replace him. Cora and the front office might as well get what they can for him now.
If Sosa does not end up working out at second base, Escobar could be the long-term answer. The 20-year-old is one of the Phillies' best prospects and has been killing it in the minors leagues this season. He is a couple of seasons away from the majors. When he gets there, Philadelphia could have a spot waiting for him.
