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If the Phillies have one clear weakness, it’s in the outfield, where they appear to be one bat short. Johan Rojas hasn’t performed well as the starting centre fielder, leading many to believe Philadelphia could make a move at the trade deadline.
Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox is one of the most prominent names rumoured to be available, with the Phillies being one of his primary destinations. However, one baseball expert believes Robert isn’t the White Sox outfielder who should be at the top of the Phillies’ list.
Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports noted Friday that Robert’s teammate, 36-year-old outfielder Tommy Pham, may be the Phillies’ “top target” at this year’s deadline. Pham was the greatest postseason hitter for last year’s Arizona Diamondbacks, who defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in seven games.
“If there’s one thing that Pham has always been able to do, it’s his ability to hit, and even after starting the season late, that ability has been on display even with a lack of talent around him,” she added.
Pham is having a terrific season for the last-place White Sox, though his bat has cooled recently. He’s slicing.266/.342/.372, excellent for 105 OPS+.
Pham’s subpar speed makes him unsuitable to replace Rojas in centre field. Brandon Marsh would take the majority of the repetitions in centre until Rojas was recalled from Triple-A.
Though Marsh isn’t known as a terrific defensive centre fielder, he’s clearly adequate, with one out above average according to Statcast metrics. If it allows the Phillies to add one more productive bat to their lineup, it’s a worthwhile trade-off.
And, as the Phillies and 28 other teams discovered last season, having Pham in your postseason lineup may make a difference. The 11-year veteran is eager to win his first professional championship, and Philadelphia may be the location he does.
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