Skip to main content

The Philadelphia Phillies' center field position has been a black hole for quite some time. Not only has it lacked consistent offensive production, it's been absent of solid defense as well.

Philadelphia has tried multiple different outfielders—Scott Kingery, Mickey Moniak, Roman Quinn, Adam Haseley—the list goes on. For now, the Phillies seem to have settled on a platoon of Odúbel Herrera and Matt Vierling in center, which is what President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski originally envisioned in spring training.

Recently, however, Vierling has started games at both second and third base, displaying Manager Rob Thomson's hope to make him a more versatile player. The other half of the platoon, Herrera, has fared well in 40 games. He's slashed .277/.315/.496 with five home runs and 15 RBI in 128 plate appearances.

Defensively, Herrera has been average. His questionable routes and occasional misplays of should-be simple outs raise concerns of his viability there long-term. Even worse than Herrera, though, are fellow outfielders Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos. Schwarber ranks in the 6th percentile and Castellanos in the 3rd percentile in Outs Above Average (OAA), per Baseball Savant. Overall, Philadelphia falls second to last in MLB in Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in 2022 with -26, ahead of only the last-place Washington Nationals, who have -33.

While it's likely the Phillies trade for bullpen help at the deadline, given it is their biggest need, they may also elect to acquire an outfielder that can provide them with above-average defense. ESPN's Bradford Doolittle, MLB writer and analyst, wrote in a June 15 article that Oakland Athletics' outfielder Ramón Laureano is who the Phillies "should be clamoring for" at the trade deadline.

Ramon Laureano fields a fly ball against the Minnesota Twins

Ramon Laureano fields a fly ball against the Minnesota Twins

Philadelphia has been mentioned as a possible destination for Laureano for awhile, particularly because of the Phillies' glaring need for a plus-defender, and the Athletics' fire sale which took place over the offseason. At 22-43, Oakland sits in last place in the AL West, and most certainly will be sellers at the deadline.

Laureano returned from a PED-related suspension on May 8; since then, the 27-year-old has slashed .242/.326/.358 with eight doubles, two homers, and eight RBI in 135 plate appearances. So, sure, Laureano isn't the most enticing name from an offensive standpoint, but he has played more than 290 games in both right field and center field, and ranks in the 79th percentile in OAA. 

The good news is that Laureano presumably won't come at too steep of an asking price. While he comes with two extra years of control, Laureano's PED suspension heftily impacted his value. Philadelphia will probably only have to part with two or three mid-tier prospects to get the deal done.

Laureano provides the Phillies with more flexibility in the outfield and consistent, highlight-worthy defense, something they've been without for an extended time. With a plus glove holding down center field, Schwarber and Castellanos can mainly worry about taking care of the offensive component, what they were ultimately signed to do. 

The Phillies will have to compete within the division for Laureano, as the Miami Marlins are reportedly "pushing hard" for him, as they too have struggled to find a long-term answer in center field.

Whatever transpires, Dombrowski and the Phillies should be buyers at the trade deadline. Luckily, their weaknesses are overtly evident, so it's easy to identify where they'll look to upgrade. However, it is imperative that the franchise makes the correct moves, should they hope to end their decade-long postseason drought in 2022.

More From SI's Inside The Phillies:

  1. How Mike Trout Will Join the Phillies
  2. Andrew Painter is Off to a Historic Start
  3. Could The Phillies Soon Be Playing in Wawa Park?
  4. 18-Year-Old Phillies Prospect is Making History
  5. How did Philadelphia end up with Citizens Bank Park?
  6. How the Phillie Phanatic Came to be America's Favorite Sports Mascot
  7. This Unlikely Draft Pick Could be the Final Piece in the Phillies Next Blockbuster Trade
  8. "The Family Was More Nervous Than Him," Stott’s Relatives on Debut
  9. Picking the Phillies' All-Time Single Season Lineup
  10. Drawing Comparisons to Harper, Phillies Prospect Wilson is Heating Up

Make sure to follow Inside the Phillies on Substack and Twitter!