The Philadelphia Phillies are off to a fine start this season, but there are some looming concerns for the roster.
Coming into the year, it felt like it would be World Series or bust for the Phillies. And after they suffered a tough early exit from the playoffs last campaign, they want to get back to October and contend for a championship.
However, even though the team is off to a solid start with an 11-8 record through 19 games, they do have some issues.
Like in the playoffs, offensive production from the outfield is once again a concern.
Center fielder Brandon Marsh has played poorly to begin the season, something that has carried over from last year.
As a team that is looking to be a true contender, they have seen first-hand what a couple of slumps can do to this lineup. With Marsh struggling along with Alec Bohm in the infield, it might behoove Philadelphia to bring in some help.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently wrote about Luis Robert Jr. being an answer for the Phillies’ woes in the outfield.
Robert is just two years removed from hitting 38 home runs and posting 13 outs above average defensively. So many contending teams—the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies among them—have needs in center field.”
Adding a player like Robert wouldn’t be a slam-dunk fix to the problem for Philadelphia, but he does provide some serious upside.
The 27-year-old is still very much in his prime, but injuries have contributed to some struggles. Furthermore, playing for the Chicago White Sox might also factor in to some of those issues with how poorly they have been of late.
To start the year, Robert has slashed .136/.235/.203 with one home run and four RBI and six stolen bases. Even though those numbers aren’t great, they are still better than what Marsh has done.
What makes the outfielder so appealing was the campaign he had in 2023.
While making his first All-Star appearance, he slashed 264/.315/.542 with 38 home runs, 80 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
It looked like the young slugger was on his way to stardom, but hasn’t been able to replicate that success.
However, a change of scenery and joining a lineup that has Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber to help protect him could help him get back to All-Star form.
Even though he isn’t a perfect trade target with some injuries and inconsistencies the past couple of years, Robert has the potential to be an elite player who could not only help in 2025, but be a potential building block as well.
