Recently Traded Philadelphia Phillies Outfielder Picked Up by Division Rival

The Philadelphia Phillies former top prospect was picked up off waivers by the Miami Marlins.

Jun 5, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Cristian Pache (19) dives for a fly ball against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park. / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies entered the 2024 season with a major hole in center field.

They had multiple young players who could own that spot, but after more than 100 games into the season, there are still issues present.

Johan Rojas was the Opening Day starter, but was sent down at one point because of his struggles. His demotion was short lived as he was called back up due to injuries.

Cristian Pache, who was in a backup role, was traded during the deadline.

Rojas and Pache struggle in similar ways.

If they had any sort of offensive production, they'd be two of the better players in Major League Baseball. Instead, they haven't found much success offensively, which has continued to cause the Phillies problems.

They decided to move on from Pache, which looked to be the right thing to do. They sent him in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles that landed them Austin Hays, a platoon bat who could put up big numbers against left-handed pitching.

Just one year ago, Hays was an All-Star.

He hasn't been as good this season as he was in 2023, but the talent is certainly there, and if he can come in and swing the bat at a high level against left-handed pitching, his fit is obvious.

But for Pache, it was tough to find a place for him to play with the Orioles.

They're arguably the most talented team in baseball when it comes to young talent, and with multiple players in their farm system who could come up and make more of an impact than Pache could, they decided to designate him for assignment.

He then was quickly picked up on Friday, being claimed by the Miami Marlins.

The Marlins likely saw what he could do on the defensive end and decided to give him a chance. A few years ago, he was regarded as one of the top prospects in baseball.

That billing hasn't quite panned out, slashing .202/.288/.269 for Philadelphia in 104 at-bats in 2024. His career OPS+ of 47 also shows just how bad he's been at the plate.

It'll be interesting to see how long he can stick with Miami.

For a struggling outfielder who hasn't found his way at the highest level, this could be the perfect opportunity. The Marlins recently decided to trade all of their best assets to rebuild for their future, so he should have an opportunity to play nearly every game. 

If he can figure it out, he could be an above average professional due to being an elite defender.