5 names surface as trade fits for Phillies' 2026 outfield ahead of Winter Meetings

The offseason represents an opportunity for the Philadelphia Phillies to make needed changes to their outfield. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski will either trade or release embattled Nick Castellanos. Max Kepler and Harrison Bader are free agents, while the futures of Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, and Weston Wilson are uncertain. The position group will have multiple new faces by the start of the 2026 regular season.

Whether it be free agency or via trade, there have been rumors connecting several candidates to the Phillies based on how they would fit with the club and the likelihood of the team signing or acquiring them. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan recently ranked players who could be traded during the winter. With the MLB Winter Meetings getting underway, trades could occur anytime with several players listed beginning to be moved.

McDaniel and Passan listed several outfielders who could be trade candidates. These players would provide a new look for a Phillies franchise that needs new faces after three straight disappointing postseasons, two of which ended in consecutive NLDS losses. The position group needs to be modified with some outfielders who may benefit from a change of scenery themselves.

5 outfield trade candidate fits for the Phillies, according to ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan

Luis Robert Jr.

The Chicago White Sox's Luis Robert Jr. has been mentioned as a trade target for Philadelphia during the past couple of seasons. The Phillies may not be willing to acquire him due to his injury history, offensive inconsistency, and what White Sox's vice president and general manager, Chris Getz wants in return for the 28-year-old.

Robert finished with a slash line of .223/.297/.364,14 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .661 OPS in 110 contests this year. For his level of production, his salary isn't cheap as he will earn $20 million in 2026 with a club option for the same amount in 2027. A trade involving the center fielder to the Phillies is possible if Dombrowski and the organization like Robert and believe he can enhance his career with Philadelphia, but they might be better off exploring other options first.

Jarren Duran

Jarren Duran could be a solid addition for the Phillies, depending on how much the Boston Red Sox want in return. He would be an upgrade for Philadelphia in center field and would lessen the sting of losing Bader if the free agent does not return to the Phillies.

Duran has demonstrated durability since 2024, playing in 160 and 157 contests, respectively. He finished with a career-high 84 RBIs and 60 walks this year. Phillies manager Rob Thomson could play him often in center and left field.

Steven Kwan

Steven Kwan would be a solid upgrade defensively for the Phillies. He does not strike out much, but is also not much of a power hitter. The multi-time Gold Glove winner remained with the Cleveland Guardians post-trade deadline after his name was in trade rumors until the end of July. He would be a fit for Philadelphia if they want to use him in left field, where he has played primarily in his MLB career.

PHLY Sports contributor and one of the co-hosts of The Phillies Show podcast Jim Salisbury commented previously that the Guardians wanted prospect Aidan Miller in a deal involving Kwan in trade discussions this summer. A trade for the outfielder looks unlikely to happen because of Cleveland's reported asking price of a promising young player that Philadelphia wants to keep.

Byron Buxton

Byron Buxton has a no-trade clause in his contract, as he has expressed his desire to remain with the Minnesota Twins for the duration of his career. Speculation started that the center fielder would be willing to revisit his previous stance on the clause based on all the trades they made this year.

Buxton had a career-best 35 home runs and 83 RBIs in 126 contests. However, the Phillies would be taking a risk on a player who has played in 100 or more games three times in his 11-year career. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Twins do not plan on trading Buxton (subscription required). Unless Minnesota president of baseball and business operations Derek Falvey or the center fielder changes their minds, Buxton does not appear to be an option for Philadelphia to acquire in a deal.

Wilyer Abreu

The Red Sox have another outfielder in Wilyer Abreu, who is in trade rumors. The Maracaibo, Venezuela, native finished 2025 with 22 home runs, 69 RBIs, a .786 OPS, and a slash line of .247/.317/.469 in 115 games. He could be a player with upside entering the 2026 regular season, as his home run and RBI totals were the highest of his three years in the Majors.

Abreu has the most experience in right field with the Red Sox; he has played in 275 career games, 232 of them at that position. The 26-year-old, whose offensive stats are comparable to Marsh's, may not be a consistent option to be an everyday player, but Thomson can add him to his outfield rotation.