5 teams that need to save Mike Trout from another dramatic Angels letdown

1. Phillies can bring Mike Trout home

The financial ramifications of Mike Trout's contract are difficult for any team. It's especially tough for the Philadelphia Phillies, who already have a metric ton of long-term, non-deferred money tied up in Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Aaron Nola, among others. Trout is signed through 2030 at a massive salary number. He would hamstring the Phillies' budget significantly. Philadelphia doesn't have the best farm system either, so there's no real way to get a deal across the finish line without eating the contract, as FanSided's Mark Powell pointed out.

That said, the door is officially open — and that's enough to ponder, or even endorse the idea of Trout landing in his hometown. The Phillies are coming off back-to-back NLCS appearances. While the Harper-era Phils haven't gotten over the World Series hump yet, it's clear Philadelphia has the talent and poise to win at the highest level. For all the talk about Atlanta and Los Angeles, the Phillies have actually been on the doorstep two years in a row. That counts for something.

Philadelphia's lineup features an endless stream of potent power-hitters. Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos. There is pop aplenty. Trout adds another power source to the mix, while also offering a heaping ton of walks and base-running opportunities. He strikes out a fair amount — and the Phillies are a little too familiar with strikeout-prone sluggers — but there's no point in nitpicking Trout's historically great talent. Front to back, the Phillies' lineup would be the most intimidating in baseball.

He also fits right into the Phillies' weakest positional spot, replacing Johan Rojas' compromised bat in centerfield. Heck, Rojas could serve as a swell foundation for the Trout return package. The Phillies aren't devoid of interesting young talent.

In the end, this accomplishes Trout's goal of contending while also bringing him back to his roots. One has to imagine Trout has a soft spot for the Phillies organization if he does decide to work his way out of Los Angeles.