Midway through May, the Philadelphia Phillies have turned their season around after a disappointing start to the season. Their offense has done most of the heavy lifting. Now that they have Bryce Harper back in the lineup and Ranger Suarez in the rotation, it’s an opportunity to take-off and remind everyone who won the National League last year.
Roster changes are inevitable between now and the end of the month. By the time we arrive to June 1, expect these three Phillies players to be gone.
1) Phillies outfielder Dalton Guthrie should be swapped for another player
Dalton Guthrie hasn’t played a whole lot since his promotion. It’s not unexpected. There isn’t much playing time available for him. He’s essentially there as a defensive replacement and maybe the occasional pinch running duty. His bat doesn’t compare to anything the other corner outfielders can provide this ball club.
Guthrie was the roster replacement for Cristian Pache who had one of the most ill-timed injuries the Phillies could’ve asked for. Just as he was heating up, down he went.
Despite Guthrie’s lack of true importance on the everyday roster, it’s hard to have an emptiness on the team. Swapping him for Simon Muzziotti. Currently tearing it up in Triple-A, he might be able to add a little extra punch to the roster albeit on a limited basis, maybe only a little more impactful than Guthrie’s role with the team.
When it comes to this roster spot, it’s less about Guthrie losing it and more a tip of the cap to how well Muzziotti has played. He’s hitting almost .400 this season. It’s too good to not promote him and see what he can do.