October 27, 2026
Stephen Brashear/Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
The Phillies very much need to take a big swing to improve their outfield.
If the Phillies stand completely pat this offseason, and add no outfield help, their outfield situation would be as follows:
RF: Bryan De La Cruz
CF: Justin Crawford
LF: Brandon Marsh, Derek Hill platoon
During the 2026 season, the Phillies' outfield posted a -5.7 WAR — the second worst of any MLB team. And yet somehow they still made the postseason.
That's both terrible, and avoidable. The free agent market (as well as the trade market, a story for another day) offers some upgrade options and a few of them could be suitable fits to help make the outfield a strength, instead of a duct-taped weakness threatening to undo the entire offense.
Here's a look at five of our favorite potential outfield bats available when free agency begins in November:
The 31-year-old Cuban was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2021, has made three All-Star appearances and led his Mariners in WAR last season (5.7) and the AL in runs scored (113). He checks a bunch of boxes for the Phillies and he should be their top outfield target:
✅ He hits from the right side, and hit .306 against lefties last season
✅ He's a plus defender in left field
✅ He's got power, with 26 HR and 79 RBI last season
✅ He's got speed, and stole 26 bags in 2026
✅ He's among the league leaders in HBP every year — a base is a base
Arozarena will probably fetch the highest contract of anyone on our list, and there will be a long list of bidders from the MLB's biggest market franchises. He's a player who might try and act quickly to nab a big contract with the uncertainty of the upcoming CBA negotiations (which may install a salary cap).
Suzuki is just one year older than Arozarena and has been remarkably consistent during his five seasons with the Cubs, hitting .269 with an OPS over .800 in every year since he was a rookie. He blasted 103 RBI in 2025 and 89 last season, and has 113 career homers since moving to Chicago from Japan.
The drop off isn't huge, from Arozarena to Suzuki. He'd also be an above average right-handed bat. He's not bad in the field either, with an NL best .992 fielding percentage in right field last year.
He's a World Series MVP, a four-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger. What's the catch? Springer is 37, and adding an over the hill free agent to a roster that's already bursting with players over 30 might not be a recipe for longterm success. But on a one-year deal?
In 2025, as a member of the AL-pennant winning Blue Jays, Springer finished seventh in AL MVP voting, hitting .309 with 32 homers. He fell back to earth last season, hitting just .249 with 15 homers. Is this a slide he'll never recover from? Or was is monster season two years ago still something he's capable of?
A former first round pick, Grichuk had a resurgent 2026. He was so awful as a member of the Yankees that they released him in early May after hitting .199. He found himself on another playoff roster when the White Sox inked him to a low risk deal and he hit .299 the rest of the way with a .926 OPS.
Grichuk sort of fits the mold of the Phillies have done in recent seasons, taking fliers on guys with proven talent but who aren't locks to perform. He has a career .253 batting average and has a ton of experience, 1,477 career MLB games.
Bauers is a little more under the radar but he's a pretty good option for the Phillies, in both a corner outfield spot or occasionally at first base. The main knock against him is he's a lefty.
This season with the soon to be World Series champion Brewers, Bauers hit .266 with 26 homers and 86 RBI. He's sort of a journeyman who has played over 100 games in just four of his seven MLB seasons. Of course, you have to believe his age 30 season was more than just a blip — his career slash line prior to his breakout 2026 was .211/.307/.365.
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