A Philadelphia Phillies trade idea would land Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton for Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter in a "Godfather" trade offer.
Phillies Trade Idea Sends Andrew Painter, Justin Crawford for Twins' Byron Buxton originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Philadelphia Phillies have had issues in the outfield for a few years. Brandon Marsh has been inconsistent, Johan Rojas isn't a great hitter, and Max Kepler has been a letdown this season.
With the MLB trade deadline on the horizon, the Phillies could look to make a huge addition in the outfield if the trade idea from ESPN's David Schoenfield were to come true.
He proposes that the Phillies send a haul of Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford to the Minnesota Twins for Byron Buxton. Investing in one player is a lot, but Schoenfield explains why such a deal would work.
"Philadelphia has a lot riding on 2025 given the age of its lineup," Schoenfield writes, "And executive Dave Dombrowski knows how to go all-in. In this case, it would mean parting with one of the top pitching prospects in the game in Painter, plus a promising young outfield hitting well in Triple-A."
While "Trading Painter would be painful," as Schoenfield writes, the Phillies have the pitchers to be okay without him. Zack Wheeler is signed through 2027, while Aaron Nola and Christopher Sanchez are signed through 2030.
Jesus Luzardo and Ranger Saurez help this year, at the least, and Mick Abel is a potential option down the road as well. Plus, there's always the free agent market or trade block to add a starter when necessary.
Buxton, one of the best outfielders this season, would be a perfect addition to bolster the offense and defense for the Phillies. He would be a massive upgrade in the outfield, and he's the righty bat the team is looking for.
So far this season, Buxton has 20 home runs and a .270 batting average in 73 games. His .879 OPS would be the highest among Phillies outfields by a wide margin, and he'd be a much-needed power presence in the lineup.
Kyle Schwarber is the only Phillies player with at least 20 home runs, at 27. Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos are tied for second with just 11 home runs. Adding Buxton's 20 home runs would be a huge help.
While Schoenfield has the Phillies giving up a lot, it'd be worth it. Buxton, under team control through 2028, would be the exact addition the team needs to make for a World Series push over the next few seasons.
Buxton, being an outfielder, hitting from the right side of the plate, and having incredible power numbers, 'd be a perfect addition for the Phillies.
Related: Phillies’ Justin Crawford Plan Revealed by Dave Dombrowski Amid Trade Rumors
Related: Andrew Painter Gets New Phillies Update After Mick Abel News
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
