Phillies Rumors: Elite Gold Glove CF popped up in trade talks at the Winter Meetings

The Philadelphia Phillies' outfield will be changing this winter. How much remains to be seen, as Max Kepler and Harrison Bader are free agents and neither looks like they will return. Nick Castellanos will not be back. Johan Rojas, Brandon Marsh, and Weston Wilson's futures with the team are also uncertain.

One of the new faces that is expected to contribute to the outfield next season is prospect Justin Crawford. Who could join him? According to Ari Alexander of 7News Boston, the Phillies were one club that expressed interest in acquiring Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle at the recent Winter Meetings.

Rockies' Brenton Doyle an option for Phillies after reported Winter Meetings trade interest

"There is widespread trade interest on Rockies OF Brenton Doyle. The Padres, Phillies, Mets and Yankees among many other teams have called, league source tells me," Alexander posted on social media from the Winter Meetings.

In three MLB seasons, Doyle has shown that he still needs to improve as a hitter. In 138 games this year, the center fielder hit .233/.274/.376 with a .650 OPS, 15 home runs, and 57 RBIs. His numbers regressed from 2024, when he slashed .260/.317/.446 with a .763 OPS, 23 home runs, and 72 RBIs in 149 contests.

Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors notes that Doyle and his wife lost their unborn child in April this year. The tragedy, understandably, could have contributed to the outfielder's regression this season.

Doyle's strengths are his defense and baserunning. He won Gold Gloves in his first two MLB seasons in 2023 and 2024. The 27-year-old compiled only 18 stolen bases this year but had 30 in 2024.

Doyle is expected to earn $3 million in 2026 and has three more seasons of arbitration remaining following next year. It is anticipated that the Rockies would want a considerable amount for him in a trade as a result of his being under club control for the next several seasons.

The Rockies' new president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta may be open to moving Doyle, according to Polishuk, as the franchise seeks to rebound from the worst season in their history, as they compiled a 43-119 record.

According to MLB.com's Thomas Harding, the Rockies want to acquire experienced starting pitching or position players. DePodesta commented during the MLB Winter Meetings that he's aware of the trade interest other organizations have had in Doyle since the trade deadline.

“[Doyle is] one of the elite defensive center fielders in the game -- in our ballpark, that plays, and it’s important,” DePodesta said, per Harding. “He’s also shown real power, hit a bunch of homers, lots of extra-base hits. He’s big, strong, athletic, fast, there’s a lot to like about him. There’s an excellent foundation. Hopefully, he can continue to progress and get better. He’s a really good player, and I’m not surprised that there was a lot of interest in him at the Deadline, or that people will continue to have interest."

According to Polishuk, the Phillies will be looking for a center fielder if they prefer the rookie Crawford in left field. Rojas may no longer be considered an option. The team does not envision Marsh as their full-time center fielder.

Both the Phillies and the New York Mets have openings in center field compared to the other two clubs interested in acquiring Doyle, the San Diego Padres and the New York Yankees.

Doyle's strikeout numbers are high. He totaled 151, 153, and 138 from 2023 to 2025, respectively. After posting a 35 percent strikeout rate in his rookie season, he managed to reduce it to 25.4 percent rate last season, followed by 25.7 percent in 2025.

If the Phillies acquire Doyle, would he be good enough offensively for manager Rob Thomson to rely on him to play frequently? Based on his offensive numbers, the native of Warrenton, Virginia, looks like a candidate to be added to Thomson's outfield platoon. However, unless the Phillies get an elite player at the position the manager will likely rotate his outfielders, regardless of who they are.

Doyle's an option for the Phillies if Dombrowski believes he can show progress offensively. The center fielder could benefit from playing at Citizens Bank Park on a playoff contender. He certainly is worth considering defensively, after winning two Gold Glove Awards in his first three seasons.