The Philadelphia Phillies are a club with championship aspirations and a clear roster weakness. And when your general manager is Dave Dombrowski, that weakness usually doesn't last long.
All season, the Phillies have been one outfielder short. They returned the same starting lineup they used in every postseason game in 2023, but second-year center fielder Johan Rojas has struggled at the plate, and no one behind him has been able to pick up the slack.
After veteran utilityman Whit Merrifield was released on Friday, the Phillies have one less big-league position player than they know they need. And according to one Phillies insider, that means a trade is forthcoming.
Matt Gelb, the Phillies beat reporter for The Athletic, said on Saturday that Merrifield's release was a sign that the Phillies were "prioritizing trading for a right-handed hitting outfielder."
"The Phillies know this much: The postseason bench consists of Edmundo Sosa, a backup catcher, and two unknown players... Expect the Phillies to make at least one trade before July ends to address the situation," Gelb said.
One of the "two unknown players" is likely already in the organization, which Gelb also alluded to. Triple-A call-up Weston Wilson, backup center fielder Cristian Pache, and Triple-A utilityman Kody Clemens are the other players jockeying for potential postseason roster spots.
Reports have connected the Phillies to several outfield options already.
At first, it appeared the Chicago White Sox's Luis Robert Jr. would be their primary target, but now it seems Robert is staying put.
More recently, Brent Rooker of the Oakland Athletics has been a common name tied to the Phillies. And per Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Phillies have also been linked to Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger, Jake McCarthy, and Jacob Young.
Whoever they get, it's clear the Phillies will eventually land the final piece of their lineup puzzle. But how that addition pans out will be a question answered in the month of October.
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