After managing just one playoff win last season, the Philadelphia Phillies have felt some pressure to make significant changes. Although they made a major move by acquiring Miami Marlins pitcher Jesús Luzardo during the offseason, they’ve done little to address their often-criticized offense. The lineup’s tendency to chase pitches outside the strike zone drew heavy criticism following their early postseason exit and could become a problem again.

Jim Riley of BallCap Sports recently proposed a surprising one-for-one trade: Philadelphia would send top pitching prospect Andrew Painter to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for promising third baseman Coby Mayo. “It’s essentially a swap of elite prospects,” Riley said.

Painter, widely regarded as the Phillies’ top prospect, was one of the nation’s top high school pitchers in 2021, but Tommy John surgery sidelined him until this year. He’s currently working his way back in the minors. Despite his potential, Philadelphia’s rotation is already stacked with talent like Luzardo, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, and Ranger Suárez, with Taijuan Walker in a long-relief role.

If frustrations with the infield—particularly Alec Bohm—continue, the team might consider bold options. Bohm, who struggled in the second half last season and remained inconsistent into the playoffs, was previously discussed in trade talks. His early 2025 numbers (.237/.273/.311 with one home run) haven’t done much to silence that speculation.

Mayo, a standout among Baltimore’s top prospects, could be a power-hitting upgrade at third base without losing the team-friendly contract situation that Bohm provides. “If you’re looking for a bat with some pop, Mayo might be the guy,” Riley added. “You’d just swap the two.”

While it’s tough to picture the Phillies moving Painter now, as the trade deadline nears, anything is possible.