Phillies could settle with ‘the best they can do’ and acquire Rays All-Star

Colin Keane

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Phillies could settle with ‘the best they can do’ and acquire Rays All-Star image

The Philadelphia Phillies need an outfield bat, but they may be unable to trade for their top options.

Philadelphia has been linked to Jazz Chisholm and Luis Robert Jr. in its designs to trade for an outfielder before July 30.

Chisholm and Robert Jr. will assuredly have multiple suitors, however. The Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox, respectively, may choose more preferable trade returns than what the Phillies can offer.

Philadelphia should be prepared with backup options, and The Athletic's Jim Bowden suggested on Wednesday that an outfielder from the Tampa Bay Rays could be the best among those options.

Bowden acknowledged former American League Rookie of the Year Randy Arozarena as a possible acquisition for the Phillies.

"I would like to see the Phillies land Robert or Chisholm," Bowden said. "However, if the Phillies can’t get Robert or Chisholm and Arozarena is the best they can do, I guess I would have interest, but that would mean moving Brandon Marsh from left to center field, which is not ideal."

Arozarena, 29, was an All-Star last season for Tampa Bay and won ALCS MVP in 2020 with the club.

He's underperforming at the plate this season with .196/ .305/ .353 splits, but a return to the mean is likely on the horizon. Arozarena is a career .255/ .344/ .437 hitter.

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Colin Keane

Colin Keane Photo

Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for The Sporting News. Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.