This Phillies-Blue Jays trade for Jean Segura could actually work

The Phillies could have a tough time finding a trade partner for Jean Segura.

Segura is a capable shortstop and second baseman, but his salary suggests he’s a better player than he is. He’s proven to be defensively challenged at times, but Segura’s bat is among the best at his position. In an offseason where shortstops are flying off the shelves — see Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa — Segura is a cheaper option.

Now on the other side of 30, the $14.25 million owed to him next year isn’t an attractive figure. The $14.25 in 2021 and $17 million in 2022 is even worse. That makes the possible return for a player of his talents far less than it should be.

What would a trade for Jean Segura look like?

Per FanSided’s Robert Murray, the Blue Jays are among the teams interested in Segura. This isn’t surprising given reports that the Jays are expected to be active in the free agent and trade market this offseason.

In the shortened 2020 season, Segura batted .266/.347/.422 with seven home runs and 25 RBI in 54 games. In a full season, he’s an All-Star level talent at his best. But the question remains whether that trajectory will continue given his age.

With that in mind, here’s how a Blue Jays-Phillies trade for Segura could look:

In exchange for Segura, the Phillies could receive the Blue Jays No. 9 prospect in Hiraldo, and another top-25 prospect in Frasso, who is more of a flyer at this point. Hiraldo has real potential to reach the bigs by 2022, and could fill a shortstop-second base role that Segura is leaving behind.

This may not be the trade Phillies fans want to see, and that’s fair. But as a contending team, they arguably shouldn’t be trying to trade a player the caliber of Segura in the first place just to save a few bucks.