Would this Philadelphia Phillies-Oakland A’s trade work?

In this article, we continue our look at fan-proposed trades made to Jim Bowden of The Athletic by examining a proposed hypothetical swap between the Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland A’s.

This fan-proposed trade between the Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland A’s is a two-player-for-two-player deal, with third baseman Matt Chapman and outfielder Ramón Laureano leaving Oakland and heading to the Phillies in exchange for third baseman Alec Bohm and right-handed starting pitcher Andrew Painter, who was the 13th overall pick by the Phillies in the 2021 MLB draft.

In the article (subscription required), Bowden loved the swap between the two franchises and gave it a thumbs up, but would it work in real life? Let’s take a look at some of the possibility.

Examining a fan-proposed trade between the Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland A’s

We have talked a lot about Chapman and the A’s potentially holding a fire sale once the current MLB lockout ends, including in this proposed trade between the A’s and Detroit Tigers that involved the All-Star third baseman. He is not only one of the top third basemen in the American League today, but also has two years of team control remaining, which will be a huge asset for any team that potentially lands him in a trade.

Laureano, meanwhile, underwent core surgery toward the end of last season while he was serving an 80-game suspension after testing positive for Nandrolone, a banned performance-enhancing substance. The 27-year-old center fielder is expected to be ready for spring training, but will still have 27 regular-season games left on his suspension when the 2022 season begins.

He slashed .246/.317/.443 with 14 home runs and 39 RBI in 378 plate appearances over 88 games last season before his suspension. Once back from his suspension, he would boost center field for the Phillies, a position that needs some help, according to next season’s ZiPS projections.

In the proposed trade, the A’s would receive a third baseman in return in Bohm, the third overall pick in the 2018 draft. After making his MLB debut on August 13, 2020, Bohm will not be a free agent until after the 2026 campaign. In 540 career at-bats with the Phillies, the 25-year-old Bohm has slashed .274/.333/.383 and posted an OPS+ of 94 while striking out in 24.6 percent of his at-bats.

Painter, meanwhile, has started four games for Philadelphia’s Florida Complex League team. He is listed as the team’s third-ranked prospect by MLB.com.

In essence, with this proposed trade, the A’s build for the future with two young players and also fill the hole vacated by Chapman at third base. The Phillies, meanwhile, get two players who can contribute immediately as the franchise looks to return to the postseason for the first time since 2011.

So what do you think of this fan-proposed trade? Would you take it if you were the Phillies? If you were the A’s, is it enough to send away two of your top players? Let us know in the comments section below!