November 23, 2023
The Phillies are mostly set.
Aaron Nola has been locked in for the next seven years to keep their starting rotation intact for 2024 – although a pursuit of another starting pitcher at the winter meetings next month could still be in play.
Their infield is good to go and the bullpen, while it could use one or two more late-inning arms, is manageable to start next season.
The only group right now with any real question mark is the outfield.
During his exit interview following the Phillies' defeat in the NLCS, club president Dave Dombrowski wasn't willing to guarantee a roster spot for Johan Rojas after he looked wholly outmatched at the plate throughout the postseason. And, while he'll more than likely be here next season, Nick Castellanos' name did pop up on the rumor mill after a brutal end to the playoff run that saw him constantly chase on breaking balls away.
Realistically, the Phillies can easily go into 2024 with the postseason lineup they left 2023 with and be fine, for a while.
Still, it definitely wouldn't hurt to look for a possible upgrade in a couple of weeks down in Nashville.
The question, however, is does that upgrade exist right now?
Here is a look at the options to try and see...
Bellinger took a one-year bet on himself with the Cubs and won big, slashing .307/.356/.525 with 26 homers and 29 doubles to help have Chicago competing for a playoff spot sooner than most expected.
And now the 28-year old left-hander is expected to cash that season in for the big contract, going into the winter as the best free-agent outfielder available.
That probably means he's a longshot for the Phillies, as you can only take so many home run swings with your payroll.
Granted, with Dombrowski, you never know.
The Braves are expected to decline Eddie Rosario’s $9M option and he will likely become a free agent, per @JonHeyman pic.twitter.com/jCTgKoZEjl
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) November 5, 2023
Rosario won NLCS MVP with the Braves on the way to the World Series in 2021, but hasn't quite reached those same heights since.
That doesn't mean he stopped bringing anything to the table though.
The 32-year lefty put in a modest season at the plate in 2023, slashing .255/.305/.450, but still yielded 21 homers and knocked in 74 runs.
He also finished the season as a plus fielder with three defensive runs saved.
As a short-term and likely more economical option, Rosario might actually be a decent fit for the Phils, and he'd probably love to be on the favorable side of the playoff CBP crowd after the last two Octobers too.
Another possibility from within the division, but pretty much only for his bat.
Soler, as a right-handed hitter, racked up 36 home runs and an .853 OPS for the Marlins this past season, but in the field, he was minus-5 in defensive runs saved and that was only across 31 starts.
The 31-year old brings something to the plate, for sure, but the Phillies need more athleticism in the outfield and he isn't really the type of player to bring that.
Perhaps the wound is still fresh from the NLCS, but if you step back and look at it for a second, Gurriel might be able to help the Phillies next time around if he can be had for the right price.
As a right-handed hitter, the 30-year old slashed a respectable .261/.309/.463 with 24 homers and 35 doubles, while offering a highly dependable glove whenever he started in the outfield with 14 defensive runs saved across 89 starts.
And in the postseason, he showed up, batting .273 with three homers and a .744 OPS as the Diamondbacks pushed their way to the World Series.
Again, that wound might still be fresh, but he could be the one to help make it better too.
Where do you think Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ends up? 👀@jonmorosi | #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/KOObQ2o2tI
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 22, 2023
We'll mention Hernández here because his name was floated around back at the trade deadline, but whether or not he would actually make the Phillies better? That seems far from a sure thing.
Hernández did hit for 26 home runs and 93 RBIs with Seattle last season, but did so while striking out 211 times – the third-most in the majors for 2023.
Kyle Schwarber struck out an MLB-worst 215 times, Castellanos finished in fifth for the regular season with 185 Ks, and the Phillies as a club had the eighth-most strikeouts combined at 1,481.
The 31-year old will drive in runs, sure, but he would do so with the caveat of how many more strikeouts would you be willing to bear with?
Maybe a longshot too with the projected outfield market, but not one to be entirely discarded either.
Juan Soto might be out there. Maybe Alex Verdugo's worth a look. Pitcher Tyler Glasnow is going around the rumor mill with the Rays, and MLB Trade Rumors has wondered if star outfielder Randy Arozarena might be up for discussion with Tampa too.
The Phillies do have some prospects to offer in a potential trade, but really that comes down to a matter of what's on the table, how dedicated the Phils are to those prospects, and how the free-agent dominoes ultimately fall in a couple of weeks.
Follow Nick on Twitter: @itssnick
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
