The Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves are battling over a potential trade target that Alex Anthopoulos has been pursuing for quite some time.
Regardless of the outcome of their weekend series against the second-place Atlanta Braves, the Philadelphia Phillies will retain control of the NL East. As the All-Star break approaches, the Phillies hold a nine-game lead over Atlanta thanks to a strong start to the regular season.
However, with the MLB trade deadline less than a month away, the Braves and Phillies may compete for some of the same targets as they seek divisional supremacy. Atlanta is now without a starting pitcher and an outfielder due to injuries sustained by Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. early this season. Philadelphia, meanwhile, may use a new starting centerfielder and a backup starting pitcher following Taijuan Walker’s injury and Ranger Suarez’s recent problems.
According to Bob Nightengale, one outfielder that has attracted the Phillies’ interest is Oakland Athletics star Brent Rooker, who has also long been on the Braves’ radar. In his notes, Nightengale stated that the Philadelphia Phillies are keeping a close eye on Oakland A’s left fielder Brent Rooker. This season, the Phillies rank 26th in OPS among left fielders.
Who has the edge in a Braves-Phillies trade war for Brent Rooker?
While Alex Anthopoulos has maintained an eye on Rooker for the past year, the Braves and Athletics have not been linked with a transaction involving the standout outfielder in…a while. Anthopoulos’ trade history with the A’s hasn’t gone as planned for Oakland, raising the question of why the Athletics would make another deal with Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the Phillies have a far superior farm system (five top-100 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline) and an unblemished reputation in Oakland, at least for the moment. Dave Dombrowski is one of MLB’s more aggressive executives, and he places less importance on prospects than other general managers, especially if he can receive real major-league players in return.
So far this season, Rooker is hitting .277/.351/.540 with an OPS of.891. He has 18 home runs for the Athletics, where he is signed through the 2027 season after three arbitration years.
Rooker’s numbers and contract should spark a bidding war if the A’s decide to move him, giving the Phillies an advantage against the Braves, who have traded away most of their farm-system talent in recent years in exchange for Matt Olson, Sean Murphy, Chris Sale, and others.
Dombrowski and the Phillies have a chance to easily win the NL East. Adding Rooker would simply aggravate the situation in Atlanta.
