5 Slugging outfielders the Phillies should sign immediately

1 of 3

The Philadelphia Phillies are ready to spend big on outfielders this offseason

After missing the postseason for the 10th consecutive season and watching their division-rival Atlanta Braves win the World Series, the Philadelphia Phillies have made it clear they mean business this offseason.

First, they hired hitting coach extraordinaire Kevin Long, whom slugger Kyle Schwarber credits with revamping his swing, away from their other division rivals, the Washington Nationals.

Then they exercised Andrew McCutchen‘s $3M buyout instead of his $15M option, and let Odúbel Herrera and Ronald Torreyes hit free agency.

Even during the season, the Phillies were overhauling their player development department and parting ways with front office folks whose rebuild efforts had culminated in zilch over the years.

Sloughing money off the books means the Phillies are ready to spend big. And who better to go on a shopping spree than Dave Dombrowski, their new President of Baseball Operations, who built one of the best and most expensive World Series teams in MLB history during his tenure with the Boston Red Sox.

Dombrowski has made it clear that the Phillies’ two biggest needs are outfielders who can hit (McCutchen hit well in 2021 but struggled in left) and pitchers, especially a closer. He’s known for giving out big contracts, so here are five slugging outfielders worthy of a big Dombrowski deal:

The Phillies should sign Nick Castellanos

Nick Castellanos was originally drafted in the first round of the 2010 June draft by none other than then-Detroit Tigers GM Dombrowski. After parts of seven seasons in Detroit, he spent half a season with the Cubs and the last two in Cincinnati.

It’s hard to argue with Castellanos’ bat power; he matched Bryce Harper’s .309 batting average this season, and they were close in many offensive categories. Castellanos had more total bases and RBI in fewer games, though some of the latter falls on Harper’s teammates, who struggled to be in scoring position when he came up to bat.

Over the last two years, Castellanos has become known for that soundbite just as much as his power bat, which would add some extra enjoyment for Phillies fans. The 29-year-old plays right field like Harper, but with the Universal DH probably on its way, there’s even more flexibility in the Phillies’ future.

Kris Bryant (23) Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports /

The Phillies should sign Kris Bryant

Speaking of Bryce Harper, his Las Vegas pal Kris Bryant is a free agent right now and would be a huge upgrade for the Phillies.

Despite being traded from the Cubs to the Giants midseason, Bryant managed to stay pretty consistent in 2021. That’s often not the case for players, especially when they’ve spent their entire career with one team before the trade, as Bryant had. The former Rookie of the Year and NL MVP (he won the year after Harper) hit .265/.353/.481 with a .835 OPS, 25 homers, 32 doubles, 73 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts.

Defensively, Bryant offers versatility, with hundreds of games at third and in the outfield. He’s also played some first base and a smidge of shortstop.

The Phillies should sign Starling Marte

Starling Marte‘s name has been all over Phillies Twitter, with fans begging the team to sign the valuable centerfielder. He’d certainly be an upgrade from Odúbel Herrera, who elected free agency rather than be outrighted by the Phillies.

Marte began his career with the Pirates for eight years, before spending parts of the last two seasons with the Diamondbacks, Marlins, and A’s. The two-time Gold Glove outfielder is 33 years old, but still has a lot in the tank, as evidenced by the fact that he hit .310/.383/.458 with a .841 OPS over 120 games between Miami and Oakland this season.

One of the most appealing things about Marte is his speed on the basepaths; he has three seasons with 41+ stolen bases, and this year, tied his career-high of 47 swiped bags previously set in 2016. He’s stolen 20+ bases in eight of his 10 MLB seasons and stole 10 in the shortened 2020 season.

Oct 18, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Kyle Schwarber (18) flips the bat as he runs the bases after hitting a grand slam against the Houston Astros during the second inning of game three of the 2021 ALCS at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /

The Phillies should sign Kyle Schwarber

Kyle Schwarber credits new Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long with drastically overhauling and improving his swing last offseason, when Long was still with the Washington Nationals and Schwarber signed with them. The results were astounding, especially in June of this year, when he hit 16 home runs in 18 games between June 12-29.

Overall, Schwarber finished the season with the second-most home runs of his career, and his best season by average, OPS, OPS+, and both on-base and slugging percentages.

The Phillies were thrilled when Schwarber was traded out of the division up north to the Boston Red Sox, but they’d be even more thrilled to add him and his bat power to their own lineup.

The Phillies should sign Joc Pederson

Joc Pederson turned out to be one of the best midseason pickups of the year, bringing his bat power and lively personality to the Atlanta Braves, and helping to propel them to their first championship since 1995.

If the Phillies are serious about returning to the postseason for the first time since 2011, Pederson’s October experience would come in handy. He’s played 79 career postseason games, including 15 this year. His three home runs, four runs scored, and nine RBI were crucial to his team’s newest trophy.

Trending. The perfect Taylor Swift songs for the Philadelphia Phillies. light

Home / Phillies News