Andrew Painter: Trade bait?

Smarty Jones explores whether the Philadelphia Phillies should consider trading young starting pitcher Andrew Painter to acquire much-needed offensive help for 2027. While noting that the proposal is not an explicit endorsement, the writer suggests that dealing from the club's pitching surplus could unlock access to high-impact bats on the trade market.

With starting options like Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, and Jesus Luzardo, the Phillies possess rotation depth to absorb a departure. The writer acknowledges that trading a young arm with All-Star upside remains unlikely, but argues creative solutions are necessary given the team's aging lineup.