Philadelphia Phillies Could Be Ideal Spot For Top Free Agent Outfielder

The Philadelphia Phillies could use a quality right-handed hitting outfielder, and this veteran could be an ideal fit.

Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets outfielder Harrison Bader (44) steals second base against Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) in the seventh inning during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are one of many MLB teams who could stand to benefit from a late off-season addition via free agency, and there's one particular player remaining who could make a lot of sense.

According to Bleacher Report, the best remaining center fielder still available on the market is none other than Harrison Bader, the former New York Met who was a part of the squad that took the Phillies out in the 2024 NLDS.

Outfield depth has been an issue for the Phillies for quite some time, and the idea of platooning the right-handed Bader with the left-handed hitting Brandon Marsh could prove to be the exact sort of boost that Philadelphia needs.

Marsh has a long history of struggling against left-handed pitching and performing well against righties, evidenced by his .552 OPS against lefties and .792 mark against right-handers in the 2024 campaign.

Bader's history with splits is a bit more complicated, as he has vacillated between following normal patterns and showing reverse splits, but his career batting average is .249 against lefties and .239 against righties.

Also, he's shown massive upside against southpaws that he has not flashed against pitchers of his own dominant hand. Consider his 2023 season, when he put up an astonishing .936 OPS against lefties compared to just .503 against righties.

The value of such a signing could be immense to Philadelphia, as it would ensure that the club would have a Gold Glove caliber defender at an extremely crucial position every single day. Defense has long been an issue for the team as a whole, and the ability to roll both guys out on an off day for Nick Castellanos or Max Kepler would also raise the team's level there.

Beyond defense, a fourth outfielder who can hit is another puzzle piece that has regularly been missing from the Phillies organization. The team has tried former top prospect Cristian Pache and incumbent Johan Rojas in that role in recent seasons, and while those two have provided solid defense, the upside they bring at the plate pales in comparison to what Bader is capable of.

Bader brings speed, defense, slugging upside and the ability to hit left-handed pitching to any lineup he joins, and Dave Dombrowski would be wise to explore the possible fit between his club and the 30-year-old veteran from Bronxville, N.Y..