Inside The Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies Entertaining Interesting Option for Left Field

The Philadelphia Phillies are trying a few different options in the outfield after Monday's roster moves.

Dylan Sanders

Jun 14, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) point to teammates after hitting a solo home run in in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Jun 14, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) point to teammates after hitting a solo home run in in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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The Philadelphia Phillies sent a struggling outfielder back down to the minors on Monday, but that created a new gap in their lineup.

As Trea Turner was activated after a long stay on the injured list, Philadelphia optioned center fielder Johan Rojas back to Triple A. Turner does have experience in the outfield, but has been a shortstop for years. That creates a new problem as they now have to fill a new spot, as Rojas was an every day starter.

The immediate answer is to move Brandon Marsh to centerfield and trot out David Dahl in left field. Dahl hasn't been very inspiring at the plate, though, and isn't going to be a good enough option in the long term.

Dahl is currently slashing just .231/.231/.322 at the plate. He's an above average defender, but doesn't offer much that Rojas couldn't have continued doing.

Before Monday's game, they were trying out some intriguing options that could lead to actual solutions.

MLB's Paul Casella shared photos of Edmundo Sosa practicing in left field, which was expected. Less expected, though, was that he was joined by designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

Though Sosa's bat has cooled down, the Phillies still want to figure out a way to keep him in the lineup after Turner's return. Overall this season, he's slashing .277/.338/.500, which would make him the best batter in the outfield.

The 28-year-old is a versatile and a very talented infield defender, but only has 5.1 career innings of work in the outfield. He's fast and can cover a lot of ground, but doesn't have the strongest arm.

Schwarber's spot in the lineup isn't necessarily in danger, but they could have a lot of versatility at designated hitter if they felt comfortable with him in left field.

The 31-year-old is no stranger to left field, but has always been a bit of a liability. He'd be pretty much the exact opposite option of a Dahl or Rojas.

It would be hard to expect success when throwing Marsh in center field while trying to hide both Schwarber and Nick Castellanos patrolling the corners.

If Schwarber were to end up in left field once again, something would have to be done about the struggling Castellanos.

In the end, Philadelphia should still look to the trade market for another balanced option in the outfield. There is a lot of talent on the roster right now, but the players aren't very complimentary of each other's strengths.

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Dylan Sanders

DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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