The Atlanta Braves could be interested in taking second baseman Brandon Phillips off the Cincinnati Reds' hands, provided the Reds take Dan Uggla in the deal, reports David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Brandon Phillips trade rumors: Braves interested in swapping second basemen
The Braves would likely have to give up a decent prospect in order to make such a trade work between the two teams.
Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE
The Reds are reportedly actively seeking a trade to rid themselves of Phillips and his contract moving forward. Phillips had said earlier in the season that he was "scarred" that the team gave Joey Votto a big contract after saying they did not have more money to give to Phillips.
Because the Reds are openly looking to trade Phillips, they likely do not have a lot of leverage in a trade. However, if the Braves were to make Uggla a part of the deal, Atlanta would also have to throw in a top prospect to make the trade work.
Uggla is still owed $26 million over the next two seasons. Phillips still has four years and $50 million remaining on the deal he signed prior to 2012.
Phillips seems likely to be a useful player in the coming years: He still plays above-average defense and, though his bat has dropped off, he is still one of the better hitters at second base right now. Uggla, meanwhile, is coming off a year where he hit .171 with a 671 OPS. He was bad enough that the Braves left him off their roster for the NL Divisional Series against the Dodgers.
The Braves do not have many top-of-the-line prospects, but they do have a deep farm system that they could use to make a deal work.
More from SB Nation MLB:
See More:
