Phillies should consider taking on Jacoby Ellsbury’s contract for the right price

If they can get some young talent out of it, the Philadelphia Phillies should consider taking Jacoby Ellsbury’s lousy contract from the New York Yankees.

Helping out the New York Yankees is not something many Philadelphia Phillies fans would be willing to do. Since the two are at different stages of their next championship run, it’s not the worst idea for the Phillies to take a punch now to help themselves out later.

For instance, the Phillies could help the Yankees via trade.

Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury will have a tough time finding any playing time in 2018. An outfield which will include star sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton also has Brett Gardner and Aaron Hicks eating up innings. This leaves Ellsbury as the odd-man out with an albatross contract the Yankees would love to part with.

Not many teams have enough room on their payroll for the over $60 million owed to Ellsbury. The Phillies actually do have space. The question is, can the Yankees package Ellsbury with someone talented enough to entice the Phillies?

What’s in it for the Phillies?

By packaging Jacoby Ellsbury with a prospect or two, the Yankees can find a new home for the former star outfielder. It’s the only way to move on from the mistake they made when they stole him away from the Boston Red Sox.

From the Phillies’ standpoint, Ellsbury can offer them veteran leadership and experience. The downside is that they’re already playing with a full deck in the outfield. Ellsbury wouldn’t have an opportunity to start regularly. However, the Phillies could always end up releasing him and taking the financial burden that comes with it if everything fails.

For as poorly as he is portrayed, Ellsbury is not a complete waste of a roster space. He did finish 2017 with a .348 OBP and 22 stolen bases in only 409 plate appearances. Ellsbury draws hatred from the Yankees faithful because he’s making superstar money without the superstar performance to back it up.

The Yankees, if genuinely wanting to part with Ellsbury, must chain him to some minor league talent. Only then will a team like the Phillies accept the bulk of the burden.

Some names to consider

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Let’s immediately eliminate Gleyber Torres from consideration in any trade the Yankees may make that doesn’t land them Mike Trout or Clayton Kershaw. After him though, the Yankees should keep an open mind.

When proposing a trade to the Phillies, it’s the pitching prospects the Yankees should shop. Justus Sheffield would certainly carry the most appeal, but the Phillies may need to consider Albert Abreu or Chance Adams instead. Sheffield and Adams would make the most sense for the Phillies since they are closer to MLB-ready.

Ellsbury and Sheffield/Adams probably won’t keep the Phillies on the phone for long. Add in someone else, and maybe then a deal could go down.

Should the Phillies take on a bad contract?

I vehemently believe the Phillies must get creative and make a deal like one proposed above. Ellsbury may not fit the best since the outfield is covered. Before the Carlos Santana signing though, Rhys Hoskins could have stayed at first base allowing for more flexibility.

They need to decide what their goals are for 2018. Are they only interested in adding Santana and a halfway-decent bullpen or is this a team willing to go all-the-way?

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Pitching remains their biggest weakness. To give them a few more options, they may need to take a step backward with Ellsbury before moving forward with a youthful arm.