The Philadelphia Phillies have been one of baseball’s finest teams so far in 2024. However, manager Rob Thomson’s squad has a glaring outfield need as the July 30 trade deadline approaches. Could Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, make a divisional trade and acquire Miami Marlins outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.?
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report proposed eight “outrageous” transactions that would raise eyebrows and shake things up before the deadline. Here’s what he put together to aid Philly in the outfield:
Jazz Chisholm Jr., centre fielder, gets acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Marlins acquired outfielder Justin Crawford and shortstop Starlyn Caba in a “outrageous” trade, as such trades between division rivals are rare.
“Chisholm isn’t having the best season of his career, but he has been healthy (for a change) and has been more productive than Philadelphia’s current options,” says Miller. “Moreover, he’s under team control for two more seasons after this one and is only making $2.6 million this season. That makes him a long-term, cost-effective choice for a team that currently has the highest 2025 payroll.”
Chisholm would provide the Phillies a much-needed outfield boost.
Although Chisholm’s offensive figures for 2024 aren’t very impressive, he’d be a welcome addition to the Phillies’ lineup. Through 336 plate appearances, the left-handed hitter has slashed.259/.324/.423 with 10 home runs, 12 doubles, 39 RBI, 36 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. His.747 OPS is lower than the.860 he posted in his 2022 All-Star season, but it is still productive.
This is especially true given the Phillies’ outfield’s performance at the plate this season. Before the games began on July 1, Philadelphia outfielders had hit.236/.299/.363 this season. According to FanGraphs, their combined OPS of.662 is ranked 23rd in baseball.
Brandon Marsh, Nick Castellanos, and Johan Rojas have all made at least 200 plate appearances while playing in the outfield. Marsh is the only one with an OPS higher than.700 (.796 through 225 plate appearances).
Acquiring Chisholm would undoubtedly improve the Phillies’ outfield depth chart. And, due to his present contract position, this extends to both 2024 and the future.
Injuries have put the Phillies in a tough spot.
The MLB regular season, which lasts 162 games, is a marathon. There will undoubtedly be ups and downs between Opening Day and the final out of Game 162. The Phillies are now weathering a storm with three key position players on the injury list.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto had knee surgery on June 12. If there are no obstacles in his recovery, he should return shortly after the All-Star break. On June 27, designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (strained groin) and first baseman Bryce Harper (strained hamstring) joined Realmuto on the injured list.
Garrett Stubbs (career.610 OPS) and Rafael Marchan (career.702 OPS) have split catching duties in Realmuto’s absence. Kody Clemens (.621 career OPS) has taken over at first base for Harper. With Schwarber injured, Castellanos has taken over as Designated Hitter. As a result, Whit Merrifield (.560 OPS in 2024) has seen more consistent playing time in the outfield.
Any team would struggle to replace three top-tier contributors such as Realmuto, Schwarber, and Harper. Still, this demonstrates how critical it is for the Phillies to improve their squad before July 30. Chisholm would be a valuable addition due to his productivity, contract status, and defensive versatility (he has played centre field, second base, and shortstop in the majors).
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