Could Ryan Howard Replace The Injured Matt Adams In St. Louis?
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams will miss at least three to four months with a strained right quadriceps. Adams will have surgery on Friday and could miss the remainder of the season.
USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports the NL Central leading Cards (31-16) will explore all options in replacing Adams at first base.
That's bring us to the Phillies, who are 19-30 amid a rebuild situation, and looking to trade some of their older players. One of the hardest players for the Phillies to trade the past couple of years has been 35-year-old Ryan Howard and his $25 million per season contract.
However, Howard is off to a decent start this season hitting .256/.298/.519 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI's. Furthermore, Howard has crushed the Cardinals, his hometown team, throughout his career.
Rob Maadi of the Associate Press says this is the perfect opportunity for the Phillies to move Howard.
Listen: Rob Maadi on the 94WIP Morning Show
"If I'm [Phillies general manager Ruben] Amaro [Jr.] I call St. Louis the minute Matt Adams walks off the field because that's about a perfect of a situation as you could get," Maadi told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show. "Ryan Howard has always had great numbers in St. Louis. Tha'ts a contending team that now obviously has a need at that position. Ryan Howard has performed well over the past month. He's on pace to hit 32, 33 home runs now. Maybe you don't even have to eat $35, $45 million of his contract.
"If you could trade him and eat less of his contract, go for it."
