Report: Phillies looking outside organization for right-handed backup outfielder

The Phillies are trying to get creative in center field.

They believe they have some stability with Brandon Marsh as the starter, but behind him, the depth is shaky. It’s possible the Phillies go outside of the organization to find his right-handed backup.

According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies are making calls to other teams in search of a “right-handed hitting outfielder for a backup role.”

Spring training began with Dalton Guthrie as the presumed favorite to be the backup center fielder. He was impressive in a short stint with the big league club last year, but the 27-year-old is 4-for-25 in his first big league camp.

The Edmundo Sosa playing center field experiment isn’t going as well as the Phillies hoped it would. It was always going to be tough for Sosa considering his inexperience and the harsh outfield playing conditions in Florida. They still have around two weeks to decide if Sosa could be a viable option.

Scott Kingery has emerged as a possible candidate. He’s 7-for-23 this spring and while he’s playing all over the diamond, he’s made two starts in center field in the Grapefruit League. He would need to be re-added to the 40-man roster if he makes the team out of spring training.

Jake Cave, a left-handed hitter in the mix for a bench job, has also made a couple starts in center field this spring. Josh Harrison is a right handed hitter who can play outfield, but he’s strictly an option in the corners.

The outfield bench depth took a hit when they traded Matt Vierling to Detroit as part of the Gregory Soto trade in the offseason. It’s a trade any contender should make if they believe they are getting a dependable late-inning arm, but it leaves the team with some question marks at the back end of the roster.

The Phillies could make a waiver claim, work out a trade or pick up a non-roster veteran currently on another team who has an opt out in their contract at the end of camp if they do not make the big league club.

It’s been an unusually quiet spring for the Phillies, who have not made any significant roster tweaks since camp opened up. That could change if the Phillies find a new outfielder on the market.

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