The Phillies have some obvious holes to patch this offseason, and Dave Dombrowski made it clear one of them might not be solved from within.
Outfield is shaping up as a real issue, especially with Brandon Marsh coming off a brutal second half at the plate. Dombrowski didn’t sugarcoat the situation, saying, “I don’t think we have an outfielder internally that’s ready to fill that hole,” in comments to Charlotte Varnes and Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
He added, “Marsh looks like he’s made himself, so far, a platoon-type guy, hits right-handed pitching and he hasn’t done very well versus left-handed pitching. At this point, we have to say - OK, for us, we need to complement him.”
That leaves the Phillies weighing outside help, and the names that fit the bill are not cheap. Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki are two free-agent possibilities the club should consider if it wants a corner outfielder who can play every day and help the offense.
But both are expected to receive qualifying offers from the Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs, which would make the pursuit more complicated for Philadelphia. Because the Phillies are over the tax, the penalty for signing a player who turns down a qualifying offer would be steep.
There are internal options on the table, too. Bryan De La Cruz could be brought back if the Phillies tender him a deal, and he gave them a usable right-handed bat off the bench. Derek Hill is also expected to return in a center field role alongside Justin Crawford.
Crawford’s development looms large for this group. He flashed at times during his rookie season, but his bat didn’t match what he showed at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and his defense in center is still a work in progress. Getting him more comfortable and closer to the player he was in 2025 with Lehigh Valley matters to the Phillies.
Elsewhere on the roster, the club still has to sort out catcher, where it could use a more offense-minded backup to J.T. Realmuto.
Trea Turner is another major offseason storyline, since he needs to prove he’s worthy of staying at shortstop by improving his defense. If he doesn’t, a shift to the outfield could become part of the conversation.
And with Bryce Harper set for a full-time return to first base, the need for help in the corners only gets sharper.
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Phillies Face A Tough Brandon Marsh Decision This Offseason
The Phillies are heading into an offseason with a familiar checklist, and the outfield is near the top of it. Brandon Marsh spent the first half of the season looking like one of the more reliable pieces in the lineup, but his production tailed off badly after the break, leaving the front office with a tougher evaluation than it had a few months ago. With bullpen help also on the agenda, the team has plenty to weigh as it tries to sharpen the roster for next season.
Marshs situation is especially tricky because the Phillies still have to decide what his role should look like moving forward. A platoon arrangement could be part of the discussion, but the club may also have to consider bigger changes depending on how arbitration plays out. For a team trying to build around a more balanced roster, the question is no longer just what Marsh was in the first half - its what the Phillies believe he can still be going forward. [Read more 🡒]