Phillies Will Prioritize One Position Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies have a clear position of need to upgrade ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

Jul 21, 2024; Cooperstown, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies General Manager Dave Dombrowski poses for a photo prior to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, NY. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies have done a great job of getting their season back on track after a brutal start to the campaign.

Following a 9-19 start, manager Rob Thomson was fired and replaced by Don Mattingly. Entering play on June 14, the team is now 38-32, holding a 1.5-game lead as the second Wild Card team in the National League.

The Phillies would love to maintain this level of success and continue chasing down the St. Louis Cardinals, who are the No. 1 Wild Card team in the league. To achieve that goal, Philadelphia will be looking to upgrade some weaknesses on the roster ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

What position are they going to prioritize? As shared by Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, the Phillies are going to be pursuing help in the outfield to help compensate for the loss of Adolis Garcia.

Phillies are in the market for outfield help

Jun 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) hits an RBI double against the San Diego Padres during the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

“The Phillies are desperately looking to acquire an outfielder at the trade deadline with Adolis Garcia expected to miss the rest of the season with his torn lat,” he wrote in a recently published article.

Philadelphia has already made one move to help restock its outfield depth, acquiring Derek Hill from the Chicago White Sox. That deal was announced before the severity of Garcia’s injury was revealed publicly, but it could have also been made to help replace Johan Rojas.

Serving an 80-game suspension, Rojas was beginning to ramp up his activity, nearing a return to the field. However, he started having issues with his elbow, and it was revealed that he suffered a UCL injury and needed an internal brace procedure.

That is two right-handed hitting outfielders done for the 2026 season, prompting moves to be made. Hill is the first addition, but he very likely isn’t the last; he looks more like a depth piece than a player who is going to step into the lineup on an everyday basis.

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— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 14, 2026

Along with him, the team also has Steward Berroa, Otto Kemp and Felix Reyes as outfield options currently with the organization. Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford are locked into everyday roles with the Big League club already.

Based on that, it is easy to see why Philadelphia is going to be in the market for outfield help. While right field is where they need it, Marsh and Crawford are versatile enough that acquiring a player for any of the spots in the grass isn’t out of the realm of possibilities.

It will be interesting to see where Dave Dombrowski turns for help because right field production has been down across the board in the sport in 2026.

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