Phillies’ Alex Verdugo interest is ignoring an obvious trade for breakout candidate

The Philadelphia Phillies emerged as an NL powerhouse in 2022. Since then, they have been falling backward. In 2022, they lost in the World Series. In 2023, they lost in the NLCS. And lastly, in 2024, they lost in the NLDS. If they are going to stop this backward slide, they will need to make a big change.

This offseason, the Phillies have made a few impactful moves to improve their major league roster, signing free agents Max Kepler and Jordan Romano as well as trading for Jesus Luzardo. Recent notions indicate the Phillies may not be done. The latest edition brought to us from the rumor mill suggests signing Alex Verdugo. Drew VonScio of Newsweek lays out the case for Verdugo:

"His season in the Bronx didn't necessarily go as planned, so he is looking to bounce back and gravitate more toward his numbers from 2023 (.264/.324/.461). One thing that would help Verdugo in Philadelphia is the dimensions of Citizens Bank Park. It is 330 feet to straightaway right field and 369 feet to the right field power alley. Right field would be 15 feet deeper with the Phillies, but the power alley would be 16 feet shorter and should help boost Verdugo's home run numbers … Baseball Savant shows Verdugo was one of the best left fielders in all of Major League Baseball in 2024. He finished the season in the 96th percentile for arm value and the 94th percentile for arm strength.”

The idea here is that Verdugo would spend time in left field with new addition Max Kepler. As an injury-prone outfielder, Kepler might not be the most reliable option. And since 2019, success at the plate has been scarce for Kepler, making it somewhat of a double-edged risk. Thus, the logic in here is sound. VonScio does an excellent job in advocating for Verdugo, but there still may be a better option.

Despite his excellent defensive metrics, Verdugo was an average defender last season in Outs Above Average. And his bat, which was sub-par with the Yankees, doesn’t have the transformational power the Phillies need to regain their World Series potential. Enter trade candidate Jesús Sánchez.

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Jesús Sánchez could be the Phillies missing puzzle piece they need to win a championship

Last season with the Miami Marlins, Sánchez hit .252/.313/.417/.731 with 18 home runs in 489 at-bats. On the surface, Sánchez appears to be a decent hitter, but doesn’t seem to present anything transformational. However, his power is a point of intrigue that should be further investigated.

Baseball Savant ranks his bat speed, hard hit percentage and average exit velocity all in the elite 90th percentile. He also barrels the ball 12.2 percent of the time ranking him in the 80th percentile. This makes him a prime breakout candidate. And in Philly, Sánchez’s chances of a breakout only get better.

Like with Verdugo, the dimensions of Citizens Bank Park work to Sánchez’s advantage as well. Baseball Savant estimates Sanchez would have hit 24 home runs if every game he played last season were in Philly. That’s six home runs above the 18 he hit and ties the estimated 24 he would have hit in Milwaukee as his top estimated home run total of 2024.

Sánchez's glove somewhat matches Verdugo’s. He is an average defender in the outfield. While his glove isn’t an improvement over Verdugo, his bat, even in its 2024 form, still represents an improvement at the plate. In addition, he is a threat on the basepaths, even though he isn’t very fast. Last season, Sánchez stole 16 bases in 18 attempts. However, there are a few holes in his game the Phillies would need to address.

Sánchez whiffs, chases and strikes out frequently. He doesn’t draw walks very often and has a hard time squaring the ball. Through his five years in the majors, these are the flaws that have been holding him back as a Marlin.

By all indications, Sánchez has a high-upside bat. If he can master the strike zone and square the ball more often, he can be the star the Phillies need to round out their lineup. At minimal, he would make a good middle-of-the-order bat. Trading for him shouldn’t tax the Phillies’ deep farm system too much given his lack of success. If the Phillies can unlock his potential, the door to a championship may easily reopen.

Sánchez is under club control through 2027. He is set to earn $4.5 million next season per his arbitration II agreement.