Phillies: 5 potential left field candidates for 2021

1 of 5

Andrew McCutchen, Philadelphia Phillies (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Will the Phillies spend big or smart next offseason when it comes to left field?

Technically speaking, the Phillies already have their left field position under lock for another three full seasons. Andrew McCutchen has two years and $37 million left on his current contract, with a team option for the 2022 season. After a strong start to his debut season with the Phillies, many fans are seemingly correct in feeling he will be around for a while.

However, when it comes to the MLB, you’re only as valuable to a team as your current production. McCutchen turns 34 years old this October and is still recovering from a nasty knee injury. While I personally love “Cutch” and hope he’s able to hang around for another few seasons, it’s not crazy to think the Phillies could begin to look elsewhere.

Matt Klentak and the rest of the front office were clever when they constructed McCutchen’s contract, giving themselves plenty of options to get out of it down the road. With this question likely to be a topic of debate this upcoming offseason, here are five avenues the Phillies could go down when it comes to the future in left field.

Andrew McCutchen

Option one is simply keeping Andrew McCutchen. As mentioned previously, Cutch is still locked in for the 2021 season with a team option for 2022. While the salary numbers for these years are quite large ($20 million and $15 million), the Phillies aren’t strangers when it comes to overpaying to keep talent around. As long as McCutchen is still producing into his mid-30s, there would be no pressing reason to move off of him.

He was extremely effective in the leadoff position at the start of last season (.378 OBP) and appears to be universally liked by everyone in the clubhouse. Committing some serious cash to keep someone like that around isn’t a bad decision by any means. If anything, it would confirm just how good of a decision it was to sign him in the first place.

Mickey Moniak

Despite the universal groan that the phrase “Phillies’ farm system” seems to invoke from Phillies fans, the organization has actually done some serious work over the last few years when it comes to rebuilding their system. Players like Alec Bohm, Spencer Howard, and Bryson Stott have all been universally recognized as some of the best prospects in MLB.

One name that has not been so kindly received however is that of Mickey Moniak. Selected with the first overall pick in 2016, many have been quick to write him off as a major “bust”. Hitting just .236 during his first year of single-A ball, it’s not hard to see why people are already not counting on Moniak to produce in the majors anytime soon.

However, since his disappointing debut in the minors, Moniak has steadily begun improving as a player. He hit .270 in 2018, and then saw his power skyrocket during the 2019 AA season. In 119 games Moniak hit 28 doubles, 13 triples, 11 home runs, and posted a .741 OPS. He knocked in 67 RBIs while also stealing 15 total bases, flashing some of that elite athleticism that he was drafted for.

Moniak is still an extremely raw product, and has a lot to prove before the team likely even considers him a major league option. However, as he continues to fill out his frame and grow into the player he was meant to be, it’s not a crazy thought to assume the Phillies would like to see some sort of contribution from their former first overall draft pick. Turning 22 on May 13, Moniak still has plenty of time to develop into a starting outfielder by 2021.

Mookie Betts

While easily the least likely option of the bunch, the ability to make a play for Mookie Betts during next year’s free agency period is quite possible. Through a combination of expiring salaries and hypothetical trades, the Phillies can clear upwards of $100 million dollars in salary by this time next year. Plenty of money lying around to hand over to a 4x All-Star and former MVP.

Before writing this off as a complete pipe dream, it would be wise to remember that there was a time in which the Phillies were fully prepared to hand over $600 million dollars to a Bryce Harper/Manny Machado duo. John Middleton and the Phils were ultimately priced out of the potential partnership by the Padres, but they were no doubt interested. Prior to Mike Trout receiving his mega-extension, the Phillies had already started campaigning for him to join Harper in a few years as well. Pairing up Harper with another “blue chip” MVP-caliber type player would almost instantly launch the Phillies into title contention.

After dominating the MLB for six years straight with the Boston Red Sox, Betts was traded to the Dodgers this past offseason. While Los Angeles would no doubt like to lock Betts up for another 10+ years, the 2018 World Series champ won’t make it cheap. After reportedly already turning down a $300 million dollar extension from the Red Sox last year, Betts could be targeting something closer to $400 million, an astonishingly large number.

While this would mean the Phillies would have to empty out their pocketbooks for a corner outfielder yet again, it would surely be worth it. If the Phillies are serious about pushing for a championship during Harper’s prime, adding a five-tool superstar in Betts is the single best thing they could do.

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – MARCH 08: Michael Brantley #23 of the Houston Astros in action against the New York Mets during a spring training baseball game at Clover Park on March 8, 2020 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Mets defeated the Astros 3-1. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

“Smaller” Free Agent

If McCutchen’s play has in fact started to decline by 2021, and the Phillies don’t feel comfortable shelling out the big bucks or turning things over to a rookie, targeting another short-term veteran in free agency would be the next best thing.

While next year’s free agency class is obviously headlined by Betts, there are still plenty of cheaper outfielders worth keeping your eye on. Names like Marcell Ozuna, Josh Reddick, Adam Eaton, and Michael Brantley are just a few of the higher-rated players at this position. While none of them are necessarily all that exciting, bringing in another stop-gap while Moniak continues to figure things out is a solid backup plan.

Ozuna launched 29 homers as a starting outfielder for Cincinnati last year, Reddick and Brantley were obviously a part of the American League winning* Astros team, and Eaton of course was an everyday starter for the Washington Nationals in 2019. Every single one of these options has at least proven to some capacity that they can be a reliable piece to a playoff contending team.

The one catch with turning to another veteran via free agency is the fact that likely none of these names will be interested in taking any sort of pay cut. Ozuna is the perfect example, commanding an $18 million dollar price tag from the Braves this past offseason as he signed a one-year contract with them.

The Phillies would save next to no money by going from McCutchen to a different outfielder, so going in this direction would have to solely be about production. If the Phillies feel they are in a spot to contend, but McCutchen is proving to be a limiting factor, swapping him out for a younger (and more expensive) veteran is the correct play.

Jay Bruce, Philadelphia Phillies (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Platoon Bats

While Phillies fans no doubt would prefer some sort of big name to control the left fielder spot for the foreseeable future, Matt Klentak and the front office may just opt for the most cost-effective option. “Platooning” the position with a variety of backup-level players is a decision the Phillies have made before, and could make again in the near future.

Roman Quinn, Jay Bruce, and even Scott Kingery all rotated around out in the outfield last year after McCutchen went down with injury. Even a guy like Brad Miller saw some time at the position. If the Phillies do in fact opt to move on from McCutchen, but don’t feel inclined to do any serious upgrading to the position, simply rotating people around at the position is the final option.