Inside The Phillies

Report: Philadelphia Phillies interested in Tampa Bay Rays Outfielder Phillips

The Philadelphia Phillies reached out to the Tampa Bay Rays to check in on a defensive upgrade for center field.

Kade Kistner

Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
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The Philadelphia Phillies are searching for an upgrade defensively in the outfield, in centerfield to be precise. Following the Tampa Bay Rays' acquisition of outfielder José Siri from the Houston Astros, the Rays DFA'd center fielder Brett Phillips to make room.

Per Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Phillies are one of the clubs interested in making a trade for Phillips to help bolster their outfield defensively. 

Phillips has slashed just .147/.225/.250 this season at the plate, but he is an elite defender in center field, he has 38 DRS in six seasons playing the outfield. He would likely be added solely for late inning defensive switches.

It is not the splashy or marquee trade Philadelphia fans are yearning for ahead of Tuesday's MLB trade deadline, but it is one area the Phillies will need to improve in if they hope to make a deep postseason run come October.

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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl.  During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated.  Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

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