Phillies rumors: 5 free agents named as potential outfield solutions for Philadelphia
By Matt Dargan
Adam Duvall
Adam Duvall was a name the Phillies were linked to at the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline when obtaining a right-handed bat to platoon with Brandon Marsh seemed a likely Aug. 1 possibility. Ultimately retained by the Boston Red Sox for the remainder of the season, Duvall had a solid but injury-plagued 2023.
Injuries have been an issue with Duvall, and he's only appeared in over 100 games five times in his ten-year Major League career. That would make him a good fit for a Phillies team looking for someone to slide in and out of the everyday lineup.
A solid defender with plus power, Duvall hit .247 with 21 home runs and 58 RBI during the 2023 season in only 92 games. A one-time All-Star in 2016 with the Cincinnati Reds, the 35-year-old has played for five teams in ten years and looks certain to be on the move again this offseason. Striking out is part of his game, but the power and run production he provides would undoubtedly add to an already fearsome Phillies lineup.
Kiké Hernández
Enrique "Kiké" Hernández is another interesting option floated as a possibility to split time with Brandon Marsh in Philadelphia.
The 32-year-old Hernández built his reputation during his first run with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a super-utility man capable of playing all over the diamond when needed. He carried that success to the Boston Red Sox as a free agent in 2021 and, at one point, became the primary center fielder for the ball club.
Hernández shifted back to the infield in 2023 to fill the vacant starting shortstop job in Boston following injuries to Trevor Story and the loss of Xander Bogaerts to free agency. The end result was nothing short of dreadful as his defense and bat entered an alarming downward spiral.
Having seen enough, the Red Sox traded him back to the Dodgers as a courtesy move instead of designating him for assignment. A career .239 hitter with 108 home runs and 393 RBI, Hernández has a personality that would certainly work in the Phillies' tight-knit locker room. But is there enough left on the field to justify his place on the 40-man roster?