The Philadelphia Phillies are barreling into one of their most important off-seasons in years after coming so close to October glory and missing out on the bliss. And all signs point towards a major shakeup right now. Nick Castellanos is one name on the trade chopping block, along with several others- because Dave Dombrowski appears all ready to remodel the roster from the ground up.

And the one name that is heating up right now to come in is none other than Luis Robert Jr., from the Chicago White Sox. He was connected to the Mets earlier when a plausible trade-off possibility came about mid-season. And now yet again, the $50 million talent suddenly looks like the perfect high-upside gamble for the Phillies.

BALLCAP Sports’ Jim Riley, in fact, explained it perfectly. “But it feels like Schwarber back to Philly just makes too much sense. It also talks about a potential need in the outfield. Well, this is where I get back to my Luis Robert trade idea. If we’re talking about defense, if we’re looking for an upgrade there, Luis Roberts got it. We saw the Bats turn around in the second half. There is a ton of talent there. And if he goes to Philly, I can see him in a new place. A change of scenery situation really turns things back on. and I think he would be great for the Philadelphia Phillies, especially if they’re going to be trading Nick Castellanos.”

And this scenario by Jim Riley now feels less like a prediction and more like a real possibility. Because sure, on the surface, Roberts’ 2025 line of .223 with a .661 OPS won’t blow anyone away. But the underlying numbers tell a different story. Once he returned from his early struggles and hit July, he became one of the most dynamic players in the league again. From July 8 through late August, before a hamstring strain finished his season earlier than expected, he hit .293 with an .808 OPS—which is phenomenal.

Plus, he is just 28 years old and one of the most gifted athletes in baseball, and still under a team-friendly contract at $20 million per year. And as far as Castellanos goes, the writing seems pretty much on sand right now. He had a messy 2025 season, and it is only highlighted more with a June dustup with Rob Thomson and a diminishing role, so it’s clear that the Phillies are shopping him.

Dombrowski even said, as per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, “Sometimes a change of scenery can be beneficial for people,” which feels as close to a goodbye as it can get from the Philadelphia Phillies. 

The Phillies weigh a tough call on a fan favorite

As mentioned, the Phillies are staring down a pivotal off-season. They missed another year of October heartbreak, this time bowing out in the NLDS to LA. So it’s clear to them they can’t go ahead with the same corps. Change is coming, and even a name like J.T. Realmuto is not safe, and now there is another name who could be on his way out. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, teams are already circling left-hander Matt Strahm.

And honestly, it’s hard to argue why… Since the start of 2023, he has a 2.46 ERA, and that’s the second-best mark among all the lefty relievers with at least 100 innings. Even with a certain dip in velocity and strikeouts last season, he still posted a 2.74 ERA across 66 games. In a market that’s thin on lefty bullpen arms, Strahm suddenly and for sure is one of the most attractive options available.

Plus, not to mention, he is an affordable option, standing at a $7.5 million contract for 2026. This is where Phillie’s dilemma comes, as Strahm is good enough to help anchor their bullpen but also good enough to bring back something substantial in a trade. Gelb thinks that the Phillies could net a mid-tier prospect, a valuable chip for a farm system that badly needs some replenishing. Moving money could free up money for the Phillies to take some calculated swings on some affordable relievers.

But this isn’t a team that’s looking to subtract pitching entirely. Dave Rombrowksi made it clear they still need some rotation help. Sure, it is not their first property, but they didn’t rule out shipping in the top-tier starter route. With everything, one thing is for sure: the Phillies are seriously trying to ensure they make it deep into the season.