DUNEDIN, FL – FEBRUARY 16: President of Baseball Operations for the Philadelphia Phillies Dave Dombrowski speaks to the media during the Spring Training Grapefruit League Media Day at Blue Jays Player Development Complex on Thursday, February 16, 2023 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Philadelphia Phillies are in need of a reset but there are only a few things they can really change.
The team suffered a second straight playoff disappointment this year after a second straight division win in the regular season. But even though it’s clear that what they’ve been doing isn’t working toward a World Series championship, they are stuck with a number of their incumbent players.
Veteran infielders Bryce Harper and Trea Turner are under contract for several more years. And the pitching rotation will continue to be anchored by Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. So the outfield might be the unit set for the most change.
“I would revamp the entire Phillies outfield,” former Major League Baseball general manager Jim Bowden wrote for The Athletic. “(Nick) Castellanos has one year and $20 million left on his contract, but I would eat a significant part of that to trade him… I would either trade (Brandon) Marsh or use him as a fourth outfielder. I wouldn’t re-sign Max Kepler, who played better in the second half but finished with an 88 OPS+ overall.”
Even if the Phillies don’t undergo a complete outfield overhaul, it seems clear that the team will be shaking the outfield up, particularly with Kepler and Harrison Bader entering free agency.
Given the blockbuster history of president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, that could mean the Phillies add a premier name to the mix, like star slugger Kyle Tucker. That probably wouldn’t be determined until well into the offseason. But in the meantime, the team has already added a new outfielder who played for their division rival last year.
“According to my sources, Dominican Bryan De La Cruz has reached an agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies,” MLB insider Mike Rodriguez reported. “He signed a one-year minor league contract and received an invitation to spring training.”
De La Cruz might not be the kind of All-Star caliber talent that Phillies fans are hoping to see in the outfield, but the signing is significant. Though he played just 16 games for the Braves last year in a short stint, he has four years of prior big-league experience, including 21 home runs in 149 games with the Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024.
De La Cruz could become a factor for the Phillies outfield depending on how his spring training audition goes, as he might prove to be an upgrade over Johan Rojas and Weston Wilson as a part-time option.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterchawaga/2025/11/06/phillies-sign-braves-slugger-after-remarkably-short-stint/
