The Philadelphia Phillies are 43-36 going into their Wednesday matchup against the Washington Nationals. After beginning the 2026 MLB season 9-19 and firing manager Rob Thomson, the team has found new life under his replacement, Don Mattingly.
Philadelphia sits 5.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves for the lead in the National League East, but holds a 1.5-game lead for a wild card spot. With postseason aspirations, the Phillies are expected to add at the trade deadline.
The outfield could use some improvement, especially with Adolis Garcia ruled out for the season because of a torn right lat. They have been consistently viewed as a potential landing spot for Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton.
ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand and Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer all list Philadelphia as one of the best fits for the two-time All-Star.
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However, it doesn't appear the Phillies will even have the opportunity to engage in trade talks. When speaking to reporters, Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll clarified that the team has no intention of moving on from Buxton.
"We have no plans to trade Byron," Zoll said, according to Betsy Helfand of the Pioneer Press. "It's not something we're exploring. It's not something we plan to explore."
Buxton has been an extremely valuable asset for Minnesota this season, racking up 54 runs scored, 78 hits, 25 home runs, 41 RBIs, seven stolen bases and a .927 OPS in 69 games. Playing in the fifth season of a seven-year, $100 million contract, he will be staying with the Twins.
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With Buxton out of the question, Philadelphia must look elsewhere to bulk up its outfield. Fortunately, there are several other options. McDaniel and Passan list the Phillies as a potential landing spot for Taylor Ward, Seiya Suzuki, Joe Adell and Jarren Duran.
