Phillies Sign Veteran Outfielder To Major League Deal

Will a veteran outfielder be the answer for the Philadelphia Phillies in the outfield?

Jun 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The glove and hat of Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (2) in the dugout during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Philadelphia Phillies get set for their next game over the weekend against the Kansas City Royals, the team has added some outfield depth to the organization. 

It has been a pretty remarkable run for the Phillies of late. Since May, this has been one of the best teams in baseball, and they have made their slow start to the campaign a thing of the past. 

Philadelphia is now chasing down the Atlanta Braves in the National League East standings, and that felt like an impossible task not too long ago. However, while the team has been playing well, they aren’t perfect. 

As the summer heats up and the trade deadline approaches, the Phillies will certainly be buyers. This is a team that has some notable needs in a couple of different areas, and finding some external help will be needed. Philadelphia is no stranger to being aggressive to try and improve, and that will likely be the case this summer.

Recently, they did sign veteran outfielder Bryan De La Cruz to a major league deal. As a right-handed hitter, he fills a need for something that Philadelphia is looking for. 

Bryan De La Cruz Provides Outfield Depth

Phillies signed Bryan De La Cruz to Major League contract, adding him to 40-man roster, then optioned him to Triple-A. Keeps him in organization. Team DFA’d Jean Cabrera to make room for him on 40-man roster.

— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) July 5, 2026

The 28-year-old has bounced around a bit in his major league career so far, with his most recent stint in the majors coming with the Atlanta Braves in 2025. In 16 games with them last season, he slashed  .191/.240/.213. The numbers certainly weren’t great, but he has been a player in the past who can provide some power. He has been in Triple-A for the Phillies this season and has been performing well. Now, he could be getting a shot in the majors with Philadelphia soon.

In 491 career games played, he has slashed 251/.295/.402 with 58 home runs. While his on-base percentage might not be that desirable, he does have a career slugging percentage over .400, which is very good. 

Even though the Phillies have optioned him to Triple-A, he has been placed on the 40-man roster, and with the outfield woes of Philadelphia this year, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see him get a chance. 

While De La Cruz will provide some depth for the team, he likely isn’t going to be the solution for them in the outfield. The Phillies offense has been a bit better of late, with Trea Turner performing notably better. However, this is still a group that has two holes in the outfield and a need to improve. 

Overall, while De La Cruz provides depth with some pop, the team should be looking at better options before the trade deadline.