Which slugger from the Houston Astros wouldn’t be a good fit for the Philadelphia Phillies?
With the Philadelphia Phillies going through one of their roughest stretches in recent memory, it seems like the team is due for a shake-up. Although the season is still young, certain players are already surfacing in trade rumors.
As the Phillies continue to linger well below a .500 record, they’ve fallen far short of preseason expectations a serious cause for concern. Heading into the year, this was a team many believed would be in the World Series conversation.
Though Zack Wheeler has yet to take the mound this season and the starting rotation has turned in some poor performances, the offense has actually been the bigger problem. Apart from a few bright spots, the lineup has struggled significantly. With several key hitters underperforming, it seems the Phillies may need to bring in outside help to get back on track.
Even if it’s still early, the Phillies will certainly have options to explore in the coming months. But not every player who could boost the offense will be the right fit.
Recently, Zachary D. Rymer wrote about potential trade destinations for Houston Astros star Yordan Alvarez. Although the Phillies were mentioned as a team that could use his offensive firepower, they don’t have a logical place to put him.
No Room for a Star Slugger
It’s no secret that Philadelphia’s offense has underperformed, but the team has limited flexibility when it comes to making upgrades. Alvarez would undoubtedly be a massive addition to any lineup as one of the sport’s best hitters, but he doesn’t play the field and the Phillies already have Kyle Schwarber locked in as their designated hitter.
So far this season, Alvarez has been one of the few highlights for a struggling Astros team. He’s slashing .330/.456/.747 with 10 home runs and 24 RBIs. After missing much of last year due to injury, it’s been encouraging to see him back and healthy.
While the Phillies are in desperate need of a bat like Alvarez’s, trying to figure out how to use both him and Schwarber defensively would create major problems in the field. Even though Alvarez would be a perfect offensive spark plug and game-changer, he’s unfortunately not a good fit for this team.
