The Philadelphia Phillies may be back-to-back NL East champions, but if you ask the fans, they’d say this has been a disappointingly frustrating offseason. The Phillies were linked to multiple high-profile free agents and trade targets, but instead are expected to run it back with their notable additions being Brad Keller and Adolis García.
Phillies fans are worried and skeptical about the team’s outfield heading into the 2026 season. García was a nice addition in right field, but there are far too many question marks.
Justin Crawford, the Phillies’ top outfield prospect, is expected to make the Opening Day roster and be given every opportunity to be the everyday centerfielder. Brandon Marsh is expected to slot into left field, but he struggles against left-handed pitching and is best suited in a platoon role.
Phillies still searching for left field platoon option with Brandon Marsh
The Phillies have reportedly been monitoring the outfield market in search of a right-handed hitter to platoon with Marsh in left field. Fans wanted the team to re-sign Harrison Bader before he inked a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants, but again, the Phillies are prepared to move forward with Crawford as the everyday centerfielder.
Although the Phillies likely won’t make a splash to upgrade the outfield this offseason, there are still multiple platoon options that makes sense for the team.
Miguel Andujar
Miguel Andujar once had a bright future ahead of him in Major League Baseball. He was the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up with the New York Yankees after hitting .297 with 27 home runs and 92 RBIs, but unfortunately, injuries have derailed his career.
Andujar hasn’t played in more than 100 games in a season since 2018. In fact, the 94 games he appeared in during 2025 were the most since he played in 149 games in 2018.
Despite his extensive injury history, Andujar has been a solid player when he’s on the field. He hit .285 with 19 extra-base hits in 75 games in 2024 and slashed .318/.352/.470 with an .822 OPS between the Athletics and Cincinnati Reds in 2025.
Most importantly, Andujar is a right-handed hitter who hit .389 against left-handed pitching last year and owns a .297 batting average against southpaws for his career. The 30-year-old has 169 career appearances in left field with a .986 fielding percentage.
Austin Hays
Austin Hays spent a portion of the 2024 season with the Phillies after a midseason trade from the Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately, Hays’ time with the Phillies was limited to just 24 games between the regular season and the playoffs due to a hamstring injury and a kidney infection.
The Phillies had high hopes for Hays when they first acquired him. He was an All-Star in 2023 and is an above-average defender in left field.
Hays hit .256 with seven extra-base hits and six RBIs in his short time with the Phillies and was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the NLDS against the New York Mets. The 30-year-old is coming off a solid season in which he slashed .266/.315/.453 with a .768 OPS, 16 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs and 64 RBIs in 103 games with the Reds and could be a nice addition if the Phillies give him a second chance.
Starling Marte
Starling Marte likely won’t be a popular option among fans, but the veteran outfielder can still be a solid piece in a platoon role. The 37-year-old hit .270 with 14 doubles, nine home runs and 34 RBIs in 98 games in 2025 with the Mets.
Marte is far from the player he once was. The two-time All-Star used to be a major threat on the base paths with his speed and could hit .300 or better in any given year.
He may be pushing 40, but Marte would bring yet another veteran presence to the clubhouse on a team with World Series aspirations. He’s played in 25 career playoff games and most recently hit .277 in 47 at-bats during the Mets’ playoff run in 2024.
Marte didn’t quite have the success that Andujar had against left-handed pitching in 2025, but he still hit a respectable .263. He owns a .279 batting average against southpaws across his 14-year career.
Randal Grichuk
Randal Grichuk is another affordable right-handed hitting outfield option. The veteran is a career .251 hitter and hit over 20 home runs in a season five times, including a career-high 31 in 2019.
Grichuk had an impressive season in 2024 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, in which he slashed .291/.348/.528 with a .875 OPS, 20 doubles, 12 home runs and 46 RBIs in 106 games. He took a significant step back in 2025 after hitting .228 in 113 games between the Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals.
Grichuk hit .319 against left-handed pitching in 2024, but he hit just .227 in an overall down year at the plate in 2025. He’s had some success against southpaws throughout his 12-year career, owning a .268 batting average.
This would likely be the least popular option of the four among Phillies fans, but Grichuk could serve as a solid platoon piece with Marsh for the 2026 season.