A Phillies trade with division rival to replace Johan Rojas for good

Johan Rojas has struggled mightily for the Philadelphia Phillies in centerfield or, more specifically, as the starting centerfielder in the Phillies lineup. He's truly created one of the only holes in a lineup that seems to be so perfect. Rojas has slashed .235/.271/.295 across 58 games in 2024. He's been so bad at the plate that the Phillies have opted to send him to Triple-A.

But Rojas will come around. He will find his way in the big leagues. He has a ton of talent, which we've seen flashes of and regularly when it comes to his defense to this point.

The harsh reality for the Phillies is that they can't just sit and wait for him to figure it out. They have a World Series title to chase. With that in mind, they will undoubtedly be active in the market for a trade deadline outfielder, perhaps even making the trade within their own division.

A Phillies-Nationals trade for Lane Thomas to replace Johan Rojas

The key word here is "patches." This trade doesn't bring a huge superstar to Philadelphia. It's a deal for Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas.

Thomas is no slouch, though he has struggled a bit in 2024. Even struggling, he's been significantly better than Rojas on the season. Thomas is slashing .228/.292/.386 and would come with another year of team control.

Thomas has struggled this season and he's never been a world-beater. His value likely won't net the Nationals a top-10 prospect in another team's system. Instead, the Nationals could aim for a few high-ceiling prospects in the 10-20 range, potentially netting themselves a diamond in the rough.

De La Cruz, 24, has an incredible frame, tremendous raw power and above-average athleticism. At 6-foot-8, the sky is the limit for the young outfielder. If he can learn to harness all of his raw abilities, he could turn into quite the baseball player.

McGowan, 24, has a decent pitch mix, headlined by his overpowering fastball and a sharp slider. His command has been iffy in the past, but it shouldn't create too many problems in the future, unlike other young prospects who lose their careers on their command. He's able to find the zone enough that it'll never be a true problem.

For the Phillies, this deal is a no-brainer. They need outfield help and Lane Thomas does that. They could opt to reach higher, trying to net one of the bigger fish on the market, but if they land on a deal like this for Thomas, they shouldn't be upset.

The Nationals would likely take this trade too. They may want a little bit more in return, potentially adding a third prospect in the deal, but it's hard to judge the value in an interdivisional trade like this. Washington understands Thomas' value isn't as high as they would like it to be. Waiting to deal him until next year would just lower his value even more.