Phillies Nuggets: 7 right-handed hitting outfielders that could be trade targets
In an appearance on MLB Network Radio last weekend, former Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds executive Jim Bowden said that three general managers told him that the “No. 1 priority” of the Philadelphia Phillies in early trade conversations has been an outfielder.
On a team with World Series aspirations, it’s clear that adding an outfielder would make sense for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Exactly how much of a swing the Phillies should take in advance of the July 30 trade deadline is less clear.
Could the Phillies win a World Series with Brandon Marsh in left field, Johan Rojas in center field and Nick Castellanos in right field? Perhaps. They reached Game 7 of the NLCS last year with that trio. But Cristian Pache got starts early in the postseason over Marsh when the Phillies faced left-handers. Rojas—for as elite as is his defense is—hit .093 in the postseason last year and has a .572 OPS in 2024. Castellanos is hitting just .214 this season, but the Phillies may be inclined to wait things out with the two-time All-Star, who is in the third season of a five-year/$100 million deal.
What the Phillies could do is acquire a right-handed hitting corner outfielder that spells Marsh against left-handed pitchers, and is also an insurance policy in the event that Castellanos doesn’t heat up.
They could also trade for a starting left fielder and have Marsh play center field against right-handed pitchers, with Rojas still an option to play against lefties.
It’s also possible Rojas is either moved in a trade or optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and brought back up when rosters expand in September. That scenario would likely mean the Phillies traded for a different starting center fielder, but it’s also possible the Phillies are comfortable with Marsh taking down most of the work in center field if they acquire a strong defender in left field.
One final possibility is the Phillies keep the starting trio of Marsh, Rojas and Castellanos, but try to upgrade over Pache and/or Whit Merrifield on the bench. David Dahl is also an internal option who is now very much in the picture because the Phillies would have to designate him for assignment to remove him from the 26-man roster.
The point being, the Phillies could go in multiple directions as they pursue upgrades in the outfield. Here’s a look at seven names to know as trade season begins in earnest.
Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox
This would definitely be the move that represents Dombrowski pushing all of his chips to the center of the table for 2024 and 2025. And according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, Chicago is “actively seeking packages for Robert,” so it appears like a very real possibility he is dealt.
Robert recently returned from a right hip flexor strain that cost him nearly two months. Staying on the field is the biggest issue, as 2023 was the only season in his career to this point where he’s played over 100 games. At his best, he’s an elite option in center field. A year ago, he homered 38 times, while posting six defensive runs saved and 13 outs above average at a position where there are so few difference makers.
If the Phillies feel like this year and next year is their real window to win a title with this core, Robert fits into that, because he’s under contract through the 2025 season. His deal also includes $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027, but at a minimum, the Phillies would be getting Robert for two playoff runs.
Of course, good things aren’t cheap. Acquiring Robert would likely mean giving up a package of young players that includes two of the organization’s top five prospects. Maybe even No. 2 overall prospect Aidan Miller, last year’s first-round pick.
Lane Thomas, Washington Nationals
Relative to some of the other names on this list, Thomas would be a more conservative addition. He recently returned from a left MCL sprain, and has struggled over 32 games this season.
With that said, Thomas has an .871 career OPS against left-handed pitching. That would make him an ideal platoon partner with Brandon Marsh in left field. Or, Thomas could play left field and Marsh could slide into center field. Thomas could also be an option in right field in the unlikely event the Phillies were to limit the playing time of Castellanos.
The 28-year-old wouldn’t require giving up a earth-shattering return, but he is under team control through the 2025 season, so the Phillies would have to send the division-rival Nationals more than just a warm body to obtain his services.
Tyler O’Neill, Boston Red Sox
O’Neill is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner in left field, so if the Phillies were to trade for him, the thinking would be that he is the full-time player at that position and Marsh platoons in center field with Rojas, Pache or someone not currently in the organization.
In 2021, O’Neill finished eighth in NL MVP voting as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. He has an .847 OPS across 42 games in 2024. But between 2022 and 2023, he played in just 168 of a possible 324 games. He’s already missed time this season with a concussion and right knee inflammation. So while O’Neill could be a major impact addition that helps put your team over the top, it’s also possible you trade for him and don’t get the expected result because he can’t stay on the field.
The Red Sox aren’t going to give O’Neill away just because he’s a free agent after the season. If they don’t get what they believe to be a fair offer for the soon-to-be 29-year-old, they could retain him and either try to sign him to a long-term deal in the offseason or extend a qualifying offer.
Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays
Arozarena is struggling in 2024, as he’s hitting just .169 with a .604 OPS. The former AL Rookie of the Year Award winner can’t become a free agent until after the 2026 season, so the Rays may not be inclined to sell low on him.
With that said, Arozarena is a showman and feels like someone who would benefit from being injected into an electric environment like what the Phillies play in front of at Citizens Bank Park. The 29-year-old has previously shined in the postseason — he hit a staggering 10 home runs during the 2020 playoffs — World Baseball Classic and All-Star Game. It feels like his energy is wasted playing in Tropicana Field.
For Arozarena to become a real trade target for teams with World Series aspirations, he’ll need to heat up offensively. The Phillies would also have to be comfortable with Marsh as their primary center fielder, because while the Rays have used Arozarena in center on occasion this season, he’s mostly been a corner outfielder.
Mark Canha, Detroit Tigers
Canha’s career splits aren’t drastic, but in his first season with the Tigers they have been — he has a .692 OPS in 182 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers, as opposed to an .863 OPS in 49 plate appearances against lefties.
Part of that is the difference in sample size, but it also suggests that the 35-year-old could benefit from being used a bit less against righties. Well, the Phillies would offer that possibility, as Canha would be an option to play over Marsh in left field when the opposing team is starting a left-handed pitching. He could also play in left field with Marsh in center field, and would be an option in right field and at first base, if a need were to arise at either position.
Canha can become a free agent after the season, so he’s a rental that likely wouldn’t cost a ton to acquire.
Taylor Ward, Los Angeles Angels
Ward is hitting .348 with an .871 OPS in 51 plate appearances against left-handed pitching this season, which would make him a strong potential platoon option if he were to be reunited with his former Halos teammate Marsh.
At the same time, Ward is hitting .230 with 10 home runs, 29 RBIs, 21 walks and a .742 OPS against right-handed pitching this season, so he’s far from unplayable against righties. That would leave open the option of having him play left field if Marsh was in center field against a right-handed pitcher.
Despite being selected in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft, the 30-year-old was something of a late bloomer. So he would actually have two remaining arbitration years after 2024, meaning he could either be a fit for multiple seasons with the Phillies or someone that gets flipped in the offseason.
Tommy Pham, Chicago White Sox
Pham helped the Arizona Diamondbacks to reach the World Series a year ago, and while capable of playing against both right-handed and left-handed pitchers, he has an .834 career OPS against southpaws.
So if the Phillies aim is to keep their current starting outfield intact but just have a better right-handed hitting option to come off the bench and replace Marsh against lefties, you could talk yourself into Pham from a baseball sense.
But Pham, now with the Chicago White Sox, is on his eighth team in 11 years. That isn’t all his fault, but the 36-year-old’s bizarre reaction to Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras’ being excited after tagging him out at the plate last weekend will likely turn off some contenders.
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