OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Philadelphia Phillies President David Dombrowski Makes An Inevitable Center Field Trade Deadline Stance Now Official

The Philadelphia Phillies are dominating the National League East.

At the start of play on July 22, the Phillies led the league with a 63-36 record, nine games ahead of Atlanta in second.

However, the Phillies have one huge hole to fill.

They need to upgrade in centre field.

Perhaps a competent utility outfielder would be beneficial.

Currently, the Phillies’ pitching staff is superb.
As MLB.com notes, the Phillies have the second best overall pitching staff in Major League Baseball, trailing only the Seattle Mariners.

Right-handed starters include Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Tyler Phillips. Lefties Christopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez have been exceptional.

The bullpen is solid, with All-Stars Jeff Huffman and Matt Strahm anchoring a deep pen.
Overall, the offence has performed admirably.

The Phillies, led by All-Star Bryce Harper, had a club batting average of.258 at the start of play on July 22, ranking third in Major League Baseball. They recorded 123 home runs, ranking sixth overall in the MLB.
Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ President of Baseball Operations, will most likely focus on the outfield offence as the July 30 trade deadline approaches.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson regularly uses Brandon Marsh in left field, Johan Rojas in centre, and Nick Castellanos in right.

Cristian Pache often platoons in centre, while Weston Wilson, who was recently promoted from Triple-A, also plays in the outfield.

If the Phillies could trade for a decent hitting, good-fielding centre fielder, their postseason prospects would improve significantly.

Here are the current Phillies outfielders’ batting averages before to play on July 22:

Brandon Marsh=0.259 (solid)

Johan Rojas=.232 (issue)

Nick Castellanos=.239 (a huge drop from last season)

Cristian Pache=.202 (issue)

Weston Wilson =.278 (just a 30 plate appearance sample size).

In today’s game, many commentators say batting average is an irrelevant statistic. However, it is still a useful statistic for gauging offensive improvement and prowess over a specific time period.

Potential Outfield Trade Targets:

As an ex-scout, I believe there are several centre fielders who might help the Phillies improve. They include Luis Robert Jr.

Luis Robert Jr.

Chicago White Sox-CF-Bats Right-Age: 26-6-2, 230 pounds

Robert Jr., who is now playing for the struggling White Sox, could be a great fit for the Phillies.

Robert Jr., who is entering his prime, is an amazing athlete with both power and speed—a potentially devastating combination.

Robert Jr. is prone to injuries, having missed time in most seasons due to persistent injuries such as a right hip flexor, a hand injury, a thumb injury, and more. Maintaining his health has been a challenge.

When he’s healthy, Robert Jr. can transform a game with a single swing of the bat.

Robert was an All-Star in 2023, hitting 36 doubles, a triple, and 38 home runs while driving in 80 runs in 595 plate appearances.

His batting average has dropped this year, from.264 last season to.232 now.

Robert Jr., a very good defensive outfielder, would be a significant upgrade for the Phillies.

Cody Bellinger

Chicago Cubs-CF/1B-Bats Left-Age: 29-6-4, 203 pounds

Bellinger is now on the Cubs’ injured list with a fractured left middle finger. According to the Cubs’ mlb.com report, he is anticipated to be out until late July.

Would Bellinger’s injury dissuade the Phillies or any other team from dealing for him?

Bellinger is making $27.6 million this year, with player options for $27 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026.

Are those potential amounts more than the Phillies want to give Bellinger, who has not delivered offensively this season?

In reality, Bellinger entered on the injured list with a.269/.331/410/.742 batting line, 15 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, and 37 RBIs in 344 plate appearances over 79 games. He has stolen five bases.

Is the return worth the risk, given Bellinger’s injury history, upcoming wages, and this year’s lacklustre offence?
Randal Arozarena

Tampa Bay Rays’ LF-Bats Right-Age 29-5-11, 185 pounds

Arozarena has not yet reached his prime baseball years, but he has had success on both sides of the ball prior to this season.

Arozarena, an All-Star in 2023 when he hit.254 with 23 home runs and 83 RBIs for the Rays, has been in a batting slump all season.

He’s now hitting.211 for the Rays, his lowest season with the club. However, he is becoming increasingly agitated.

The Phillies may see Arozarena as an upgrade in left field, allowing them to shift Brandon Marsh to centre.

The danger is that Arozarena will not hit, and the organization will be obligated to pay the remaining $8.1 million on his deal for this year. He can become a free agent after the season.

Lane Thomas

Lane Thomas, a Washington Nationals OF bats right-handed, is 23-6-0 and weighs 195 pounds.

Thomas is a competent centre fielder who can play anywhere in the outfield.

His strongest assets are his defence and speed, but he also has some true pop in his bat. He has already made 25 steals this year.

To this old scout, Thomas is a better centre than Johan Rojas.

Thomas earns $5.45 million this year. He has one year of arbitration left until he becomes a free agent in 2026.

Thomas makes excellent sense for the Phillies because he is under team control for another year and provides the abilities that the organization requires in centre field.

According to sportrac.com, the Phillies’ tax payroll is $261,543,794.

They have the sixth highest player tax payroll, behind only the Mets, Dodgers, Yankees, Braves and Astros.

If they are ready to spend some money, talented outfielders may be available around the trade deadline.

Clearly, if the Phillies can sign a centre fielder to enhance their position, their chances of winning the World Championship in 2024 will improve.