Why Phillies using an outfield platoon is not good enough to fix offensive issues

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

Why Phillies using an outfield platoon is not good enough to fix offensive issues originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Philadelphia Phillies are one of many teams around Major League Baseball eyeing help for their outfield at the MLB trade deadline.

But, for the Phillies, they can't simply accept ending up with a platoon in the outfield, as they have right now with Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Derek Hill. But why will a platoon not work for this team?

As Tim Britton of The Athletic highlighted, thanks to the regular hitters struggling, the Phillies can't rely on a platoon in the outfield and instead should look to trade for a star outfielder.

Why Phillies can't rely on an OF platoon at this year's trade deadline​

"A right-field platoon might pass muster - if so many of the Phillies' established hitters weren't also having down years," Britton writes.

With Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, and even Bryson Stott struggling, the need for a more stable presence in the lineup, especially a right-handed hitter, is imperative.

So, while the Phillies traded for Hill to be a platoon partner with Rincones in the outfield, and there have been talks about the Phillies finding an outfielder to platoon this season at the trade deadline, they really should be looking at a full-time starter instead.

Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs, Taylor Ward of the Baltimore Orioles, or, if he waives his no-trade clause, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, should be their targets instead.

MORE: Phillies extending Cristopher Sanchez to his $107 million deal was genius

Jo Adell of the Angels, for example, is more of a platoon partner, with his statistics against right-handed pitchers not being as good as some of the other righty-hitting outfielders who could be on the move this season.

But, for the Phillies' purposes this season, they really should be trying to add a full-time outfielder at the trade deadline rather than a platoon partner.

The reason why a platoon won't work for the Phillies is, in large part, due to how the regular hitters, including Turner, Realmuto, Stott, Bohm, and even Justin Crawford, are not hitting well enough to justify a platoon in the outfield.

The Phillies need another star-caliber player in the lineup every day. A deep postseason run isn't likely to be possible if they don't land a full-time outfielder.

More MLB news:​

• 5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for Cardinals
• Ex-MLB GM projects White Sox to sell at trade deadline despite 2026 success
• Tarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agency
• Cubs’ cost to trade for Tarik Skubal from Tigers revealed by ex-MLB GM
• Yankees’ Ryan McMahon problem has a $25 million release solution

Continue reading...