Phillies have one problem with 'excellent' Twins .941 OPS outfielder trade target

There are a lot of interesting options for the Philadelphia Phillies this summer in their search for outfield help. They needed outfield help before the Adolis Garcia injury, and it's now a greater need than ever before.

Recently, they traded for Derek Hill from the Chicago White Sox, called up Gabriel Rincones Jr., and are platooning the two in right field. But the Phillies need a better outfield option than that platoon.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden called .941 OPS Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton an "excellent" trade target for the Phillies. But, there is just one issue: Buxton has a no-trade clause that will make a trade challenging to make happen.

Phillies have one problem with potential Byron Buxton trade

"I'm being told by GMs that the Phillies' front office is on the prowl for an impact outfielder," Bowden writes. "I think Buxton would be an excellent trade target if he waives his no-trade clause."

That no-trade clause is going to pose a problem for any team trying to add Buxton this summer, and for the Phillies, it is a huge hurdle to a potential deal.

Not only do the Phillies have to convince the Twins to accept a trade, but they need to convince Buxton himself to accept a trade to Philadelphia.

Even though the Twins might not be a postseason contender this season, and the Phillies could go on a World Series run, this isn't a simple decision for Buxton.

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He's spent the entirety of his MLB career, which began back in 2015, with the Twins. He might not want to leave Minnesota behind, as he's called the city home for a long time now.

It's a huge issue for the Phillies, as if they can't convince him to waive that no-trade clause, there will be no Buxton trade, even if they figure out trade terms with the Twins that both teams are content with.

But, if the Phillies did somehow convince both the Twins and Buxton to accept a trade, it would be an "excellent" trade as Bowden notes, as Buxton is the best possible trade target the Phillies could add this summer, even better than Mike Trout.

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