Two reported trade targets of the Phillies, Garrett Crochet and Kyle Tucker, became members of different teams this week.
Spoiler alert: Neither will call Philadelphia their new home in 2025.
On Wednesday, Crochet joined the Boston Red Sox. In return, the Chicago White Sox acquired catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez. These highly regarded prospects are ranked within Boston’s top 15, with Teel (No. 25) and Montgomery (No. 54) in MLB Pipeline’s overall Top 100.
Meanwhile, the Houston Astros dealt Tucker, an outfielder, to the Chicago Cubs for infielder Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and top third-base prospect Cam Smith on Friday.
The Phillies’ inactivity thus far has left fans scratching their heads. After an embarrassing offensive performance against the New York Mets in the National League Division Series, which led to a quick exit from the postseason and the Mets signing the biggest free agent on the market, Juan Soto, many believed Philadelphia would be proactive in acquiring a hitter, either through free agency or the trade market.
Philadelphia was reportedly heavily interested in Crochet at last season’s trade deadline, even offering up
No. 1 SS/3B prospect Aidan Miller in addition to No. 3 prospect OF Justin Crawford and other lower-level prospects, which the White Sox rejected. The Phillies allegedly tried for Crochet again this offseason; Chicago once again declined, this time a package centered around Crawford and 3B Alec Bohm.