Brandon Marsh
Brandon Marsh appeared to be on his way to being considered for a full-time outfielder following his performance in June. He posted a line of .298/.411/.426 in 15 appearances during the month. Following the release of utility player Whit Merrifield and the trade of Cristian Pache, the Phillies found themselves a bit short-handed with available outfielders.
However, Marsh struggled mightily in July with more playing time. He totaled a meager .182/.236/.409 line in 21 games. As the year progressed, he looked more suitable to not be played every day as he cannot be relied upon for consistent production full-time.
Marsh's high strikeout number represents a common problem in the lineup of too many players who chase pitches. The outfielder finished with 154 strikeouts, second on the team. His batting average from July 1 until the conclusion of the regular season was a pedestrian .229.
Dombrowski may look to see what Marsh's trade value is this winter if he wants to change the roster. It is understandable for fans to have doubts about whether the club is good enough to win a championship following their underwhelming performance in the postseason.
Marsh may be used in a multi-player trade for an upgrade at another position, such as another starting pitcher. If top prospect Justin Crawford progresses further next year, he could warrant promotion to the majors mid-season.
Hays' presence also creates competition for the outfield and may make Marsh more expendable. It remains to be seen if the Phillies want to keep the 29-year-old outfielder following his acquisition from the Baltimore Orioles in July and if they're interested in paying him an estimated $6.4 million salary in arbitration for 2025.
It is anticipated the Phillies' outfield group may look different following their inconsistencies in 2024. The front office took a risk with the group of outfielders on their roster this year, and the results did not pay off. Marsh could be with another organization at the beginning of next season.
Nick Castellanos
Will Castellanos be moved this offseason? While he represents the Phillies' lone outfielder whom Thomson trusted to put in the lineup every day, the club also pays him to play at that level. He is due $20 million in each of the next two years.
The 32-year-old right fielder has exhibited his tendency to chase balls out of the zone. His hitting approach represents what the Phillies lineup has an abundance of and needs less of. In terms of changing the roster via trades, Dombrowski said that Castellanos and Marsh will play roles with the club next season. However, that could change if a trade opportunity presents itself.
Castellanos posted a line of .254/.311/.431, along with a .742 OPS in 162 regular season games. His batting average was the lowest in his three years with Philly. After posting a career-high 185 strikeouts in 2023, his total this year was 139, which is a similar number to the 130 he posted with the Phillies in 2022.
Thomson relied on Castellanos heavily after the Hialeah, Florida native played 157 games in 2023 and in every regular season contest this year. Despite his durability, the outfielder is the subject of trade rumors for the second straight offseason.
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand lists Castellanos as one of his players who may be elsewhere next season, noting that some teams in need of a power hitter may be more willing to acquire him now that there are only two years and $40 million remaining on his five-year, $100 million contract.
Philadelphia is more willing to make changes to its roster this offseason, unlike last year. Dombrowski said in October that the Phillies, "need to be open-minded to exploring what’s out there for us.”
"Sometimes you trade good players for good players," Dombrowski added.
Philly trading Castellanos would be an example of that. The club would be trading a core player who was part of a memorable 2022 team that unexpectedly came within two wins of winning a World Series. Trading him may be necessary for the team to improve at this point.