Phillies In The Mix For A Ketel Marte Trade

Ketel Marte is one of the hottest names on the MLB trade market. There is a case to be made that he is the best 2nd baseman in the league right now, and for the production he brings, he is fairly affordable and under team control until at least 2030.

The Phillies are one team that has been brought up in trade rumors for the Diamondbacks' star player. And while the connections between the Phillies and Marte are still just rumors, there is at least one piece of hard reporting that could connect the Phillies and Marte. Per Ken Rosenthal, Marte has 5 teams on a no-trade list, and the Phillies are not one of those 5 teams.

Does this mean he will be traded to Philly? Of course not. But at the very least, it is not an impossibility. Something you cannot say for the Yankees, A's, Pirates, Giants, or Cardinals.

The Phillies need to shake up their lineup. They specifically need more production from the right side, and they need players who know how to hit in October.

Marte fits one of those criteria perfectly. Phillies fans have firsthand knowledge of Marte's ability in the playoffs. Marte made it to the playoffs twice with the Diamondbacks, including the run to the World Series in 2023 when they went through the Phillies. In 21 games, Marte hit .344/.385/.589/.974 with 10 runs, 3 HRs, 3 steals, 13 RBIs, and 7 doubles.

He won the 2023 NLCS MVP due to his great work against the Phillies' pitchers. In 7 games, he racked up 12 hits, including 4 doubles and a triple. So, in terms of getting someone who can hit in the playoffs, he fits the need.

The need for a right-handed bat is a bit more complicated because he is a switch-hitter. But that might be better. His numbers are pretty much the same from either side of the plate. Giving the Phillies someone who can hit righties and lefties equally.

As a second baseman, trading for him would mean moving Bryson Stott. Either to another position, or perhaps to another team. he might even be involved in the trade for Marte. But while Stott is a gold glove caliber 2B, his work with the bat still leaves a lot to be desired, with little progress since he showed so much promise when he first came up.

Stott is still a platoon player. He only plays vs righties. Replacing him with Marte would give them another everyday player who can stay in one spot in the lineup every day, barring off days.

There is no guarantee that a Ketel Marte trade is even on the table. The only thing we know for sure is that he won't reject a trade to the Phillies. But whether or not the Phillies have interest, or if he would like to come here, is not something we know. But the rumor mill is churning, and there are at least rumors of the Phillies' interest in upgrading at 2B.