Report: Phillies hope to trade Ryan Howard to the American League during offseason

It appears there's motive behind the increase in playing time for Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard as the team hopes the first baseman can achieve statistical milestones in an effort to make the 35-year-old a hot commodity on the trade market this off-season.

With Howard on pace to hit close to 25 home runs and drive in 100 RBIs, the Phillies are confident his value will increase and an American League team will be willing to acquire Howard and the $60 million he's due after this season, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The upsurge in playing time is a stark contrast to the situation between Howard and the Phillies earlier in the season when talks of his release circulated and he lost playing time to Darin Ruf.

Gelb goes on to say that the team's front office and manager Ryne Sandberg may not be seeing eye-to-eye, since it was Sandberg's idea to decrease Howard's playing time, and suggests the team would prefer to increase his value to make him an attractive asset in the offseason.

Both general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and Sandberg have denied that the front office exerted pressure to keep Howard in the lineup. But team executives believe a benched Howard cripples their chances of flipping him this winter.

Howard is struggling mightily this season, hitting .225/.310/.378 with 19 home runs and 81 RBIs, and will likely force the Phillies to eat a large portion of his gargantuan contract in order for a trade to occur.