Phillies Bench Candidate De La Cruz Looking to Move Past Bad Vibes of 2025

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Phillies' early leader in spring training plate appearances entering Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers was corner outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, who is battling for the final spot on their bench with Johan Rojas, utilityman Dylan Moore and potentially any other intriguing right-handed-hitting outfielder who may be cut by another team before Opening Day.

It's been a slow first week for De La Cruz, 1-for-7 with a walk and four strikeouts after hitting .301 with 40 RBI in 46 games games in the Dominican Winter League, where he won MVP.

Just a few years ago, De La Cruz was an everyday player in his mid-20s who looked like part of the Miami Marlins' future. He batted .296 as a rookie, hit 20 doubles with 13 home runs in 355 plate appearances in Year 2, then combined for 40 home runs in 2023 and '24, exceeding 600 PAs each season.

The struggles since

De La Cruz was traded from Miami to Pittsburgh at the 2024 deadline and hasn't been able to find consistency since. He struggled with the Pirates, latched on with the Braves, started in left field for the first month for Atlanta in 2025 and then was designated for assignment, landing with the Yankees and spending the rest of the year at Triple A.

Probably not where De La Cruz envisioned himself when he was batting in the middle of Miami's lineup for several years.

"It felt bad, honestly," he said Wednesday in the Phillies' spring training clubhouse. "I didn't feel good at all during that transition to a different role. Gotta turn the page over, the past is behind us. I feel good that I performed really well during Winter Ball season back home in the DR. I just want to keep going from what I built there. It gives you a lot of confidence in yourself to perform at that high a level."

His path to making the club

Right-handed-hitting outfield depth is an organizational weakness of the Phillies, which creates an opportunity for someone like De La Cruz. While Rojas provides value with his glove and legs and Moore can play every position under the sun, De La Cruz' path to making the club out of camp is strictly with his bat.

From 2021-24, he hit .270 in the majors against left-handed pitching with 22 doubles and 11 home runs in 493 plate appearances.

"The opportunity to make the team on a good team like this, depending on the results that I put in and the work that I put in at camp," De La Cruz said of what excited him most about joining the Phillies on a minor-league deal the week after the World Series ended.

"Pressure is always going to be there. You just have to be able to handle it and learn new ways to handle it and not overthink. When it's an at-bat, try to slow things down. Results are not always going to be there, maybe things don't go as planned every single day you're out there, but you've got to prepare mentally and physically to be able to perform. Have the mindset that I'm the best guy for the situation they're calling me into."

De La Cruz will have plenty of opportunities this spring to show that to the Phillies. Players fighting for a job tend to receive the most playing time in camp. Last spring, Kody Clemens led the Phillies in plate appearances, with Rojas and Buddy Kennedy tied for fifth.

The at-bats won't be productive each day, but De La Cruz has a goal in mind over this next month.

"Have the mindset that I'm the best guy for the situation they're calling me into," he said. "Have in mind that I'm the guy for any spot."

If he does make the team, that sort of spot should materialize most often late in games against a tough lefty reliever.