Philadelphia Phillies Must Upgrade Outfield Offensively During Winter Meetings

With the Winter Meetings right around the corner, the Philadelphia Phillies must upgrade their outfield offensively.

Oct 6, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos (8) reacts after hitting a walk off game winning RBI single during the ninth inning against the New York Mets in game two of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are heading into the Winter Meetings after a somewhat quiet offseason for them so far. 

Due to an early loss in the National League Divisional Series to the New York Mets, the Phillies appear to be a team that might be looking to shake things up a bit this offseason. 

While the core led by Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler will be intact as two of the best players at their position, players like Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos, and Ranger Suarez have been mentioned as potential trade pieces. 

With a lot of uncertainty about what the plan might be and who could be moved this offseason, the only thing that is for sure is that Philadelphia wants to get better this winter. 

Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com recently spoke about what the Phillies should be trying to accomplish during the Winter Meetings. He highlighted the need to improve their outfield, which was a unit that really let them down in the postseason. 

“It's a little mystifying the Phillies haven't emerged as a leading Soto suitor but, you know, it's a lot of money and the Phillies already carry one of baseball's biggest payrolls. Soto or not, the Phillies must upgrade offensively in the outfield or first base, preferably the former, as landing a first baseman would mean moving Bryce Harper back to the outfield. Beyond that, the Phils will seek to add pitching depth, but so will every other team.”

It was certainly surprising to see that Philadelphia never really got in on the Juan Soto sweepstakes this offseason. They haven’t been shy about spending money on young superstars in the past, and Soto certainly fits the bill in that category. 

However, while the slugger would have been an excellent addition, the need for an outfielder is certainly a big one for the Phillies. 

In the postseason, Philadelphia received virtually no production on offense from anyone who played either center field or left field. Castellanos had a very good series against the Mets, but it wasn’t enough to cover up the lack of production from the rest of the outfield. 

While the Phillies might not be in on the top prize in free agency in Soto, that doesn’t mean that they won’t have a great offseason. Philadelphia can look to improve in free agency, the trade market, or both this winter. 

As the Winter Meetings get going, the Phillies will certainly be a team to watch with multiple avenues to improve their team.