At 38-56, Houston is clearly in rebuilding mode, and as was the case for Toronto ace Roy Halladay, the team seems willing to move their longtime star for prospects.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the Astros and Phillies are in advanced talks about bringing Oswalt to Philadelphia, a move reminiscent of their acquisition of Cliff Lee in 2009.
The Astros want prospects, such as Baseball America's 15th best, left fielder Dominic Brown, but the Phillies seem to be angling to trade Jayson Werth while his value is high.
Werth's value is particularly high, as the right fielder has already set his career record for doubles through just 90 games, and his hitting .283 and slugging .505, both near his lifetime bests.
In fact, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has stated that he would be willing to move the veteran right fielder, a free agent after the season, to the Boston Red Sox or Tampa Bay Rays for a front-line starter. He is also particularly interested in Dan Haren of Arizona, Ted Lilly of the Cubs, and Jake Westbrook of the Indians.
The Oswalt-Werth deal could involve a third team, such as Boston or Tampa Bay, sending prospects to Houston in return for Werth, with the Phils receiving Oswalt.
With Jamie Moyer headed to the DL and J.A. Happ struggling with rehab starts, the Phillies have rotation issues and are falling dangerously out of contention, seven games back of the Atlanta Braves. Convincing Pedro Martinez to come out of retirement again is also a possibility.
While Philly has scored a strong 434 runs thus far this season, they have surrendered a rather high 405 and are just three games over .500.
If the Phillies acquire Oswalt, it would not be a "rent-a-pitcher" move as he is signed through 2011 with an option for 2012.
As for Houston, they could end up having a full fledged fire-sale, as Lance Berkman may be on the market as well.
