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Could Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. make sense as trade target for Phillies?

Could Jazz Chisholm Jr. be a trade fit for the Phillies? (Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire)

In May of 2021, Phillies Nation‘s Destiny Lugardo penned an article entitled “Meet the next great Phillies killer,” highlighting the emergence of then-second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. for the Miami Marlins. Her piece ended by saying “Chisholm has the talent and charisma to drive the Phillies (and the rest of the NL East) mad for years to come.”

Just over three years later, Chisholm’s career is at a strange place. Chisholm represented the Marlins at the 2022 All-Star Game. He was the cover athlete for the sport’s officially-licensed video game “MLB: The Show” before the 2023 season. But at least to this point, it doesn’t feel like Chisholm has developed into the superstar he appeared on track to being just a few years ago.

An anonymous American League executive recently offered a pretty on-point assessment of how Chisholm is viewed around the sport right now.

“Jazz is an interesting case,” the executive told MLB.com‘s Mark Feinsand. “The swagger has outpaced his actual production, but I could see someone viewing him as one of the most valuable players on a likely seller.”

Could Chisholm be an interesting case for Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski this summer? It’s at least worth considering.

Chisholm made the transition from second base to center field prior to the 2023 season. The two most-cited defensive metrics are split on his work across 1,436 innings in center field, as he has -14 defensive runs saved, but four outs above average. Obviously, the Phillies aren’t lacking middle infield talent. For them to be in on Chisholm, they would have to believe he’s a fit in center field, at least for the immediate future.

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Another factor in that discussion is that while Chisholm has been healthy this year, 2021 is the only time he’s played more than 100 games in a season, and center field is as taxing on your body as any spot on the diamond other than catcher.

But since the start of the 2022 season, Chisholm is slashing .256/.318/.469 with a .787 OPS. That’s the type of offensive profile that would look pretty good in center field, assuming you believe Chisholm should continue to play that defensive position.

It’s also fair to say that Chisholm probably hasn’t peaked offensively yet. The very real possibility that Chisholm reaches another level offensively will make him intriguing in advance of the July 30 trade deadline. He’s still only 26, and can’t become a free agent until after the 2026 season. We may look back in a few years and wonder why more teams didn’t seriously pursue Chisholm.

Still, it’s fair to wonder if the Phillies are the right fit for Chisholm. While he seems to be a player that would relish playing in front of jam-packed crowds every night at Citizens Bank Park, the jury is still out on him as a center fielder, and second base is not an option for the Phillies. He’s also a left-handed hitter, and would be joining a lineup that already includes Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh.

The perfect trade candidate for the Phillies would be a right-handed hitting center fielder with pop. Chisholm has pop, but perhaps not quite to the degree the Phillies need, plus he’s a left-handed hitter. Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox probably best fits into the description of what the Phillies need, though as we wrote earlier this week, it’s fair to wonder if he’s the type of player you push all your chips to the center of the table for

Often this time of year, teams end up having to make some concessions. Chisholm would not be the best fit for the Phillies of those mentioned so far as trade candidates. But if Dombrowski acquired him to play center field in a deal that also netted the Phillies left-handed reliever Tanner Scott — who they are said to be interested in — it would unquestionably make the team better.

So even if Chisholm might not be Option A for the Phillies before next month’s trade deadline, he’s worth a little extra focus during this weekend’s four-game set against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Whether it’s in red pinstripes or he winds up with another playoff team, there’s a very real possibility that Chisholm could factor into the outcome in October.