Phillies Include Diamondbacks Veteran To Trade Wish List

An Arizona Diamondbacks veteran is being targeted by the Philadelphia Phillies ahead of the trade deadline.

Apr 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A detailed view of an Arizona Diamondbacks hat at the game between the Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Phillies are one of the teams that are going to be clear-cut buyers ahead of the MLB trade deadline this year.

They have experienced a historic turnaround this season, going from 10 games under the .500 mark to 10 games over the .500 mark before the end of June. That has put them right back in the playoff race in the National League, only two games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East standings entering play on July 12.

Given the remarkable turnaround, it should come as no surprise that the Phillies are going to aggressively seek out upgrades. A right-handed hitting outfielder is atop their wish list, and they are expanding their list of targets.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, Philadelphia is casting a wider net, adding Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. as one of its targets.

Phillies have sights set on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Jun 30, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“The Phillies have included Diamondbacks left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. among their possible trade targets for a right-handed hitting outfielder,” Nightingale wrote in his recent post.

The veteran left fielder began the season on the injured list and has yet to find his groove since returning to the field. He has produced a .216/.265/.299 slash line with only two home runs in 181 plate appearances.

With a -0.5 bWAR thus far, Gurriel isn’t making much of an impact in any facet of the game in 2026. According to Baseball Savant, the only thing he is above average in this season is Baserunning Run Value with a +1.

He isn’t offering much as a hitter or defender. Not yet qualified for season-long stat boards, Gurriel is well below average with a -11 Batting Run Value and -2 Fielding Run Value.

Why would the Phillies be interested in a player who is struggling to that extent? The price tag could certainly be part of it.

Gurriel would help solve woes against left-handed pitching

Jun 30, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hits a three run home run in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With one of the lowest-ranked farm systems in the MLB, Dave Dombrowski could run into some obstacles targeting players closer to the top of the right-handed outfielder market, such as Jo Adell of the Los Angeles Angels or Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs.

Gurriel, who has a team option for the 2027 season, could be viewed as purely a rental for the Phillies, which would drop the asking price for him considerably.

Another reason for targeting him is that he has been great against left-handed pitching in his career. Philadelphia’s right-handed hitters have not fared well against southpaws in 2026, but Gurriel would help fix that with a career slash line of .294/.337/.470 in 1,042 plate appearances against lefties.

Improving their platoon splits, if they cannot acquire an everyday right fielder, is the No. 1 priority for the Phillies ahead of the deadline.

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