Phillies weighing internal and external outfield options as roster focus shifts

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As the Phillies pursued a reunion with Aaron Nola, they talked about the importance of assured innings. Their need was obvious; it was hard to imagine a straightforward way to fill 180-something rotation innings in 2024 without Nola. The Phillies chose a traditional method — the reliable workhorse — and paid a large sum for it

It was the club’s biggest task to accomplish this offseason.

“We’ve had this discussion,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said last week. “We’re in a position where we can just evaluate a lot of different things that we think make our club better. We don’t have really a glaring spot that we need to fill.”

Maybe not. But, as they shape the rest of the roster, innings are needed in different ways. Dombrowski has described his positional group as mostly set, although the Phillies have continued to engage agents and teams on potential outfield fortifications.

It’s the one area of the roster that still has some offseason intrigue. The baseball world will convene in Nashville, Tenn., next week for the sport’s annual Winter Meetings, which could spark transactions.

Based on conversations with Phillies officials, rival clubs and agents, it’s evident the Phillies have attempted to find creative solutions to address the outfield. They have two younger players — Brandon Marsh, 25, and Johan Rojas, 23 — who could fill starting spots. But the Phillies have varying levels of confidence in either one as an everyday player in 2024. In essence, they do not want to commit to 600 plate appearances each for Marsh or Rojas, but also do not want to eliminate the chance that one or both could thrive.

This is why the Phillies have taken interest in versatile players who can handle center field in addition to other positions. Free agents Kiké Hernández, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Whit Merrifield and Nick Senzel fit that mold. There are more traditional righty-hitting outfielders such as Harrison Bader, Michael A. Taylor and Adam Duvall who could complement Marsh and Rojas — but those free agents might find more guaranteed playing time elsewhere.

There is a balance to strike. The Phillies might be content to run it all back, but there are ways to build a deeper outfield unit. Marsh showed huge gains in hard-hit rate and plate discipline. The Phillies have leaned on familiar talking points; they are optimistic Marsh can continue to progress into an everyday role.

“I think so,” Dombrowski said. “I mean, we think he’s going to hit left-handed pitching. I know he didn’t do it as well this season as we had thought he would. At the end of the year, I think he continued to make strides. … I think he’ll get more exposure to hit against left-handed pitching.”

The Phillies said similar things last winter. Marsh finished with 110 plate appearances against lefties in 2023. He had 105 in 2022. His production improved, although the playing time did not always reflect that.

But Marsh started 116 games in the outfield and, in modern baseball, that makes him a regular. There were 52 outfielders across MLB who started 100 games in 2023. Ten years ago, in 2013, there were 62 outfielders who did it. And, 10 years before that, it was 68.

So, there is more importance on a fourth outfielder. Even if the Phillies land on Marsh in left and Rojas in center for the majority of 2024, there are innings to cover.

Kyle Schwarber was one of the 52 outfielders who started 100 games in 2023. The Phillies do not plan on that again in 2024; they will shift his 103 outfield games (and 872 1/3 innings) to a more comfortable designated hitter spot.

Nick Castellanos played a career-high 1,292 1/3 innings in the outfield last season. He turns 32 in March and, while there are no indications he cannot handle a similar workload in 2024, the Phillies have to at least consider scenarios in which he plays a little less. (Castellanos played 1,009 1/3 outfield innings in 119 starts there in 2022.)

The Phillies have retained Cristian Pache and Jake Cave, but neither impedes upgrading those fourth and fifth outfield roles. Both players are out of minor-league options. Pache had a few decent weeks last season but finished with a 100 OPS+ (league average) in 95 plate appearances. He has defensive value, but the concerns about his hitting have not evaporated.

That dynamic is similar to Rojas’ situation, and it’s why the Phillies won’t promise him a starting role. He arrived to the majors ahead of schedule and is an elite defender. He stayed above water at the plate in the regular season only to be exposed in the postseason. It wasn’t something that surprised Phillies officials.

By exploring versatile external options for center field, the Phillies can buy Rojas time — if needed.

“He has to be able to contribute some offensively or else he has to go down (to the minors) and continue to develop,” Dombrowski said at the beginning of the offseason. “Doesn’t mean we don’t love him. We think he’s a really good player. But we do need more offense than that out of a position.”

Last week, after finalizing the Nola contract, Dombrowski said the outfield has a question “just because of a young player that we’re trying to create some playing time for.” Rojas will have that chance.

“So we don’t really have a glaring need,” Dombrowski added. “But we will continue to look to see how we get better.”

It would be surprising if the Phillies did not add another player to the outfield/bench mix. As the Phillies continue to assemble the puzzle, they are cognizant of the risk — they don’t want to block two potentially productive young outfielders but they also do not want to be deficient there. Can both Marsh and Rojas be everyday players in the majors next season?

“I think there’s a chance, yeah,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “Brandon’s got a better chance than Johan. But depending on what Rojas does during the offseason and how he comes in the spring training, how he plays during spring training, I can see both of them.”

Between now and then, it is one question that will influence how the Phillies shape their roster.