Less than three weeks away from MLB’s July 30 trade deadline, rumor season is heating up. Of course, that includes the Philadelphia Phillies, who enter MLB games today as the only team with 60 wins. But just because the Phillies look like the best team in baseball today, it doesn’t mean that will remain true in October.
Now that the Phillies are ahead of the NL East, it only makes sense to continue adding more talent, boosting their chances of a World Series run. One of the areas the Phillies may want to upgrade is in the outfield, where they’ve mostly relied on Nick Castellanos, Johan Rojas, Brandon Marsh, and Christian Pache.
Aside from Marsh, who has an above-average OPS of .779, the other trio have combined for a well-below-average OPS of .597. It’s an obvious weak point in the Phillies’ lineup, and they could afford to get better defensively too.
Philadelphia Phillies prioritizing center field upgrades
Yet, according to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, the Phillies are well aware of their weaknesses and are prioritizing a center field upgrade ahead of the trade deadline. Bowden even tosses a few high-profile stars out there as possible solutions.
“The Phillies have made center field a priority. They have been linked to Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Marlins, Cody Bellinger of the Cubs, Jake McCarthy of the Diamondbacks and Jacob Young of the Nationals, among others. It will be surprising if they don’t land a center fielder by the trade deadline. The Phillies are also canvassing for additional bullpen depth.”
Jim Bowden
Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been identified as a player many MLB executives expect to be traded, helping the Miami Marlins restock their farm system, much like the Luis Arraez trade. Luis Robert Jr., on the other hand, isn’t expected to be moved unless a team can blow the Chicago White Sox away with an offer too good to refuse.
Either way, as Bowden puts it, he anticipates the Phillies having a new center fielder roaming Citizens Bank Park by the end of the summer.
Related: MLB insider reveals top trade destinations for Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.