It's becoming something of a yearly tradition in Philadelphia at this point, but the Phillies are once again in need of right-handed hitters at the trade deadline, particularly in the outfield.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, that search has begun in earnest as the fans have gotten louder and louder.
There's a somewhat rich legacy of the team addressing this annual need, from Harrison Bader last year to Austin Hays in 2024. Nightengale's report didn't specify if the team will look only in the outfield to solve their problems, and it's important to remember that Bryce Harper has suggested in the past that he'd move off first base to accommodate a proper slugger.
Nightengale: Phillies will be looking for right-handed hitter at deadline.
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) May 31, 2026
As a reminder, the Phillies are one of the worst teams in the league from that side of the plate. Their right-handed hitters rank dead last in wRC+ (62) and OPS (.579). Help, in any form, is the name of the game here. So who might Dave Dombrowski be able to target?
Christian Walker (1B, Houston Astros)
We already explored Walker's potential fit with the Phillies in a full article, so let's summarize his inclusion on this list with the following fact: Walker has a 117 wRC+ against southpaws this year, and he has historically hit .247/.339/.444 when he has the platoon advantage. Meanwhile, the Phillies are hitting .210 with an 85 wRC+ against left-handers in 2026.
If it requires moving Harper back to the outfield to integrate someone who perfectly solves this particular problem, so be it.
Mike Trout (OF, Los Angeles Angels)
A right-handed hitting outfielder is, as always, the biggest trade deadline need the Phillies have. Left field has been a mess all year after the team initially tried entrusting the position to Otto Kemp, and Adolis Garcia (.579 OPS) just isn't getting the job done in right field.
Trout has seemingly been a Phillies trade target since he broke into the league in 2011, but his age-34 renaissance, combined with the Angels' continued incompetence, may make him more available than ever this summer.
Injuries are a worry with the well-compensated superstar, but such is life when running a veteran, win-now team. Trout can still capably play all three outfield positions and is hitting .241/.412/.498 (153 wRC+ this season), which includes a robust .904 OPS against southpaws. He's still owed a terrifying $150 million from 2027-2030, but he's probably the single-best answer to the Phillies' needs if ownership green-lights a blockbuster trade.
Rhys Hoskins (1B, Cleveland Guardians)
Admittedly, this is a much safer swing than either Walker or Trout, especially because the Phillies may not even need to wait until the trade deadline to acquire the DFA candidate. Hoskins has salvaged some value with the Guardians this year thanks to a patient plate approach — his 18.1% walk rate is among the highest in the big leagues — but he's hitting just .190 with limited power.
So, why bother going after him? Well, he's owed only what's left of his $1.5 million salary, and it was just last year that he was playing above-average defense at the cold corner. Also, he's hit three home runs against left-handers this year, which would rank tied for third on the Phillies this season with Harper.
Acquiring Hoskins would need to be part of a larger series of moves designed to help the entire offense, but as someone who has made a career out of obliterating left-handed pitching, bringing him back to Philadelphia would be more than just fan service.
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