The Philadelphia Phillies have faced ongoing challenges with their outfield, which has been a consistent area of weakness in recent seasons. Nick Castellanos, who signed a five-year, $100 million contract in March 2022, has not met expectations. Other players like Johan Rojas and Max Kepler have also struggled to secure key roles or deliver strong performances. Brandon Marsh has experienced mixed results when given opportunities as an everyday player.
Several other players—including Cristian Pache, Jake Cave, Whit Merrifield, Austin Hays, and David Dahl—have cycled through the roster without establishing themselves. Harrison Bader made a notable impact after being acquired at last year’s Trade Deadline by hitting .305 with an .824 OPS over 50 games and contributing 1.3 WAR. However, Bader is not returning to Philadelphia after agreeing to a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants.
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, the Phillies appear set on their starting outfield lineup but acknowledge there are still uncertainties.
Adolis GarcÃa is expected to take over right field following his one-year, $10 million signing. He replaces Castellanos, who is likely to be traded before the season begins. GarcÃa hit 19 home runs in 135 games for the Texas Rangers last year and averages 28 home runs and 91 RBIs across his five major league seasons. His defensive skills are seen as an upgrade compared to Castellanos.
In center field, Justin Crawford—a top prospect ranked No. 53 by MLB Pipeline—is projected to start. The Phillies see potential in the 22-year-old Crawford and believe he could have been promoted last season if not for Bader’s acquisition.
Brandon Marsh will start in left field but will likely share playing time as part of a platoon due to his stronger performance against right-handed pitchers (.797 career OPS) compared to left-handers (.581 OPS). Otto Kemp is considered the leading candidate for the right-handed portion of that platoon; both manager Rob Thomson and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski have mentioned Kemp’s name frequently this offseason.
For internal depth options:
– Bryan De La Cruz joins on a Minor League contract after spending most of last season at Triple-A but previously hitting 21 home runs in the majors during 2024.
– Pedro León was claimed off waivers from Houston after posting strong numbers at Triple-A Sugar Land in 2024 before being limited by injury.
– Gabriel Rincones Jr., praised by Thomson for his power-hitting ability, recorded 18 home runs and 21 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season.
– Johan Rojas remains known for his defense but has yet to develop offensively into a regular big-league contributor.
External candidates include:
– Miguel Andujar, who has excelled against left-handed pitching over recent seasons despite not matching his rookie output from 2018.
– Austin Hays rebounded with solid numbers for Cincinnati last year after an injury-plagued stint with Philadelphia.
– Starling Marte continues as a productive part-time player at age 37 following another above-average offensive campaign with the New York Mets.
Phillies management will continue evaluating these options as they look to strengthen their outfield heading into next season.
