Put Kyle Schwarber back in left field to maximize offensive lineup
There was a big reason why Kyle Schwarber was taken from his usual left-field position last year and moved predominantly into the designated hitter’s role ever since. That was primarily because his defense was approaching worrying levels such that the Phillies felt it could eventually work against them in the long run.
Having strong defense is good in preventing runs, but if it is offset by a significant lack of production at the plate, sometimes it may not be as valuable as it seems with the trade-off. Brandon Marsh and Austin Hays have done a decent job manning left field when healthy, but their offensive numbers still leave a lot to be desired. With a grand total of just 73 runs scored, 17 home runs and 65 RBI registered collectively, Phillies left fielders ranked either second-last or third-last among the nine positions on the team in 2024.
By putting Schwarber and his 38 home runs and 104 RBI into the slot, it instantly upgrades the position substantially, at least from an offensive standpoint. In the five rare games in which he has played this year in left field, he batted a stellar .471 with a 1.336 OPS, four runs scored, two doubles, one home run and four RBI. A small sample size, but Schwarber sure showed what he was capable of. By putting him back in left field, it also opens up the DH slot that could be used to rotate in regular starters for rest to keep them fresh and be at their absolute best.
Don't rely on Carlos Estévez as the primary closer
For the most part, the Phillies have been going with Carlos Estévez as their main closer since the trade deadline. After all, he has been most effective in the role throughout the 2024 season, posting a solid 2.45 ERA with 26 saves overall on the year. But with the Phillies also having other elite arms in the bullpen this season in Matt Strahm, Orion Kerkering and Jeff Hoffman, perhaps they should try a closer-by-committee approach for the MLB Playoffs.
It would enable the Phillies to optimize the matchups late in games. For instance, if a boatload of lefties were due up in the final inning, it might be more effective to put in a Strahm. Or in the case when a game could potentially be decided in a high-leverage situation in earlier innings, Estévez could be brought in at that time to shut the door then when they need it most, rather than saving him for the final inning.
By adding that flexibility to the bullpen usage, not only can it maximize their effectiveness, but it can also keep the opposition guessing who they would be facing, giving the Phillies an advantage.
But of course, despite all of these dream proposals, the Phillies likely won’t want to mess with a good thing that they have had going all year. After all, they wouldn’t have posted a strong 95-67 record without their current setup. As a result, there's good chance that manager Rob Thomson will just go with the usual. However, if things don’t end up working out, these moves could suddenly become something worth taking a look at.