Philadelphia Phillies First Base Fiasco & Potential Trade Targets

Story posted April 15, 2023 in CommRadio, Sports by Colin Snyder

Philadelphia Phillies general manager, Dave Dombrowski, entered this spring knowing this could very well be Rhys Hoskins’ final season at first base for the Phillies.

The Phillies originally planned to rideout this season with the righty power bat at first base, playing a pivotal role in the front-half of their lineup.

That all changed when Hoskins went down with a non-contact injury against the Toronto Blue Jays in the latter half of Spring Training.

An MRI later revealed a significant tear in Hoskins’ left knee, requiring a season-ending ACL reconstruction surgery.
Plans changed and the Phillies turned to Darick Hall, a career minor-leaguer who proved to be a big bat for the Phillies down a crucial stretch of the season last year.

Once again, things did not go as planned. Hall tore a ligament in his thumb just six games into the 2023 season, requiring a surgery that could keep him sidelined for more than two months.

Now Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies are faced with a serious issue. After just a couple weeks of MLB regular season action, the Phillies already sit 4.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves and cannot afford to fall behind much further.

With many large payroll commitments and World Series aspirations, Kody Clemens does not seem fit as a long-term fix at the first base position.

With that being said, here are a few trade targets that the Phillies should be keeping an eye on over the next few weeks.

CJ Cron, Colorado Rockies

The 6-foot-4 first baseman from the Colorado Rockies is taking the field after an All-Star season where he recorded 29 home runs and 102 RBIs. Coming off one of his best seasons in the MLB, Cron is in the final season of his two-year deal with the Rockies.

Cron’s name had a fair amount of buzz surrounding it as the trade deadline approached last season, but the Rockies ultimately held onto him because other ball clubs were unable to meet their steep asking price.

So while it would take a solid haul to bring the much-needed right-handed batter to Philadelphia, it just might need to happen if the Phillies want to reach the promised-land this season.

Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks

Christian Walker is another player in the final year of their contract, and his power could be put to great use in Philadelphia with a contending team.

Walker posted 36 home runs and 94 RBIs last season, and his 2022 statistics are all-in-all similar to those of a healthy Hoskins.

The Diamondbacks first baseman is an excellent replacement option for the rest of this season, and would require a slightly smaller trade package than the first listed trade target in CJ Cron.

Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

This name might come as a surprise to some, but the future Hall of Famer could definitely be on the move this season as he chases his first World Series ring.

Votto’s 2022 season came to an early close as he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury that he had surgery on in August.

Votto still hasn’t made his return to the Reds this season as he wraps up his rehab assignment in triple-A, but if he can prove his worth upon return to Cincinnati, he could restore the leadership and talent the Phillies lost in Hoskins.

 

Colin Snyder is a third-year majoring in Public Relations. To contact him, email czs5980@psu.edu.