It is no secret that the Philadelphia Phillies have a lot of work to do this offseason to get their roster back in a position where they will be ready to contend in the National League.

Don Mattingly did a wonderful job of getting the team back on track, taking over a squad that was 9-19 under Rob Thomson. They went 79-55 under his watch, but there were still some shortcomings the team has to overcome.

A near collapse in September preceded a short stay in the playoffs. The Phillies were eliminated in the Wild Card Round by their NL East rivals, the Atlanta Braves, in three games. Inconsistent offense and a leaky bullpen, the same issues from the regular season, plagued Philadelphia in the three-game series.

Could the Phillies turn to their rivals to address one of the holes on their roster? Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report has suggested a wild MLB trade between Philadelphia and Atlanta that revolves around each team’s superstar.

Could Phillies swap Bryce Harper for Ronald Acuna Jr.?

The proposed deal would bring 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. to the Phillies, with two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper and shortstop prospect Bryan Rincon heading to the Braves.

If such an offer was on the table for Philadelphia President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski, he would have to think long and hard about pulling the trigger. This deal would cost them another highly-touted prospect, but address so many needs.

The current Phillies’ core is another year older and coming off a disappointing campaign. Swapping out Harper, who is now 34 years old, for Acuna, who turns 29 in December, would give them a little bit of a youth infusion they are looking for.

This deal would also address the biggest need the team has in their lineup, which is the outfield. Checking another box is the fact that Acuna is a right-handed hitter, something Philadelphia needs more of to balance out their roster.

Ronald Acuna Jr. would address multiple needs for Phillies

Monetarily, this would also be a win for the Phillies. Acuna has only $34 million worth of club options remaining on his current contract; Harper has five years and $125 million remaining on his deal.

However, the injury concerns that Acuna has dealt with in recent years since winning the MVP are concerning. That would give Philadelphia a little bit of pause, but he is such a talented player and would address so many needs; this would be an appealing deal to make.

Alas, division rivals making a deal of this magnitude seems far-fetched. It would certainly create some headlines and plenty of chatter, but seeing Acuna in a Phillies uniform and Harper in a Braves uniform is incredibly unlikely.

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