
Two years ago, the Phillies outfield was questionable. Brandon Marsh couldn't hit lefties. Nick Castellanos drifted into annoying slumps. And Rojas? Rojas couldn't hit, but he's been a hell of a center fielder and can run like a scared deer on opening day.
Fast forward two seasons and nothing has changed. The outfield is still a problem.
The Phillies said leftfield might be okay with Brandon Marsh in a platoon. So, the Phillies went out and got Witt Merrifield. Things didn't work out for Merrifield. The Phillies released him in mid-season.
Still sold on the platoon, President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombroski grabbed Austin Hayes at the trade deadline from the Orioles for Seranthony Domínguez and outfielder Cristian Pache.
Come August, Hayes strained his hamstring running out a grounder and missed 13 games. In September, when the club really needed him, he developed a kidney infection. In the postseason against the Mets, he went hitless.
Come November, 2024, Hayes and the Phillies parted ways.
In December, Dombrowski signed 31-year-old, oft-injured former Twins outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year deal. Then he announced that Kepler would be the new everyday left fielder.
Don't you believe a word of it.
We can now suppose that Marsh and Johan Rojas will share center.
Don't believe a word of that, either. I don't.
Dombrowski is cooking something up.
The White Sox's 27-year-old center fielder Luis Robert, Jr. is available and would make a nice addition to the Phillies outfield.
The Phillies need Robert, Jr. — a combination of Marsh and Rojas, who can hit.
The White Sox, in a transition year, need a third baseman but could hold Robert until the trade deadline and possibly get more. But they could get less, too. It's a roll of the dice. Robert gets $15 million for '25 and $20 million for '26.
If that happens — they tade for Robert — the Phillies could make Max Kepler their left fielder, just like Dombrowski said, and use Marsh off the bench — or insurance if and when Kepler is injured.
That will work.
If Dombrowski trades Alec Bohm, Astros star third baseman Alex Bergman, 30, is still available, but he wants $200 million over six to seven years. I don't think Dombrowski will go there.
But hear this. It would be nice to have Louis Robert, Jr., and Alex Bergman added to the potent Phillies lineup.
But don't mail in those World Series applications, yet.
If Dombrowski does nothing, it won't be a fun October unless the Philadelphia Union miraculously wins the cup. If Dombrowski stands pat and stays with his current team, 2025's result will match 2024.
The Phillies also need a lights-out closer.
Thus far, Dombrowski has been adding here and there and saying it's time to load the trucks for spring training.
But don't believe a word of it.
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