With the 2024 season now in the rearview mirror, the Phillies are staring at a familiar winter dilemma: finding stability in an outfield rotation that felt like a game of musical chairs. This isn’t the first time the Phillies have been here. In fact, their pursuit of a reliable right-handed bat dates back to when Jayson Werth left for Washington at the end of the 2010 season. This year, the search continued, with Whit Merrifield and Austin Hays, but neither delivered what the organization hoped for.
Merrifield, the veteran utility player, came in with a reputation as one of baseball’s more versatile hitters. He was expected to plug holes in the lineup with his right-handed bat. But inconsistent playing time proved to be his undoing. When the Phillies released him in July, it marked a quiet end to an experiment that seemed logical on paper. Dave Dombrowski then swung for Hays, bringing in the Orioles' spark plug at the deadline. But Hays, mired by a freak series of injuries — including a kidney infection of all things — couldn’t fill the role.
It’s not the first time the Phillies have swung and missed at the deadline in the outfield. Go back to 2012, when they acquired Nate Schierholtz in the Hunter Pence deal. He wasn’t the answer either. For Hays, his issues after the trade meant he never became the lefty-killer Philly envisioned. He was on the bench when the Mets’ José Quintana and David Peterson pitched their way to a World Series berth over Philadelphia. As things stand, Hays still has a year of arbitration left, but the Phillies have to weigh whether he’s worth keeping.
If Hays’ post-trade struggles were unexpected, the in-house stagnation came as more of a surprise. Johan Rojas, widely regarded as one of the game’s premier center-field defenders, struggled to translate his speed and bat control into offensive value. There were echoes of a young Garry Maddox in his glove, but the bat? Not so much. The Phillies encouraged Rojas to utilize his speed with bunts — shades of old-school speedsters like Brett Butler — but it didn’t take. He managed just two bunt hits all season.
There’s still hope in the Rojas camp. He’s slated to spend the winter in Clearwater with the Phillies' development team, focusing on finding consistency at the plate. Rojas’ situation echoes the saga of Michael Bourn’s early career — a defensive dynamo who needed to find his bat. The Phillies aren’t giving up yet.
Meanwhile, Brandon Marsh didn’t solidify his standing against left-handed pitchers. His struggles were reminiscent of Raul Ibanez in 2011, who struggled to crack a .200 average against southpaws but found ways to contribute. Marsh slashed .192/.270/.282 against lefties, a slight dip from last year, but enough to be a concern. Yet, Rob Thomson remains bullish on Marsh, citing an improved approach in the last month. There’s a belief that Marsh, still just 26, has time to turn a corner.
Nick Castellanos, however, was the one constant in the outfield puzzle. He played all 162 games, a feat reminiscent of the iron men of yesteryear like Pete Rose. Castellanos, under contract through 2026, wasn’t just a durable presence — he was also one of their few clutch performers in the postseason. But his chase rate, sixth-highest among qualified hitters, remains a sticking point.
In his end-of-season remarks, Dombrowski singled out Castellanos and Marsh as foundational pieces for the 2025 outfield. “And then we take it from there,” he said. Whether the Phillies search for a platoon partner for Marsh or chase an everyday left fielder remains to be seen.
Dombrowski’s next move hinges on his belief that the Phillies don’t need more stars. “We have more stars than just about anybody in baseball,” he said, though he left the door open to finding the right piece. If Juan Soto is the prize of this offseason, the connection to Philly feels almost too on-the-nose. His friendships with Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, his history with Kevin Long — it’s all there. But the bidding for Soto will undoubtedly be absurd.
As for more attainable options, Jurickson Profar looms as a potential fit. The 31-year-old revived his career with a standout season in San Diego, hitting .280/.380/.459 while showing the patience at the plate that’s been missing in the Phillies’ lineup. Profar’s 16.9% whiff rate is in the 90th percentile among hitters, and his 2024 season echoed his days as a top prospect with the Rangers.
Anthony Santander, coming off a career year with 44 home runs, is another intriguing name. His experience in Baltimore’s evolving lineup makes him a versatile option. Yet, Santander’s 33.8% chase rate this year highlights a problem the Phillies are trying to fix, not exacerbate. For that reason, the spotlight might turn to Teoscar Hernández, who led the Dodgers with 33 home runs in 2024, or even Tyler O’Neill. The latter has flown under the radar in Boston, but his .313 average and 1.179 OPS against lefties in 2024 suggest he could fill a niche.
Don’t count out a potential trade either. Luis Robert Jr. and Brent Rooker were names floated around the deadline, and the Phillies will surely revisit those talks. Whether Dombrowski wants to roll the dice again remains to be seen, but history tells us he isn’t afraid to make the big move.
The Phillies have been here before — facing pivotal offseason decisions with their outfield mix. Now, they’re hoping to find the missing piece to bring them back to October.