Heading into the 2025 season, the Philadelphia Phillies faced a clear weakness: offensive production from their outfield beyond Nick Castellanos. Despite underwhelming stats from both left and center field in 2024, the team chose a conservative approach in the offseason.
Instead of pursuing high-profile names like Juan Soto or Teoscar Hernández, they signed veteran Max Kepler as their only major outfield addition.
The plan coming out of spring training was to roll with an outfield trio of Castellanos, Kepler, and Brandon Marsh, while Johan Rojas was pushed into a bench role
. Early results have been disappointing. While Castellanos is producing well, Kepler and Marsh have struggled at the plate. Kepler has hit just .212 with a .714 OPS, and Marsh has been even worse, posting a .143 average. Despite Rojas showing promise in limited at-bats, he has barely seen playing time.
In response to the poor offensive output, the Phillies have experimented by moving infielder Edmundo Sosa into the outfield. Sosa has been red-hot at the plate but is inexperienced defensively in the outfield, and early miscommunications hint at growing pains
. While this move might help in the short term, it’s not a long-term solution and could even affect Sosa’s offensive rhythm.
Unless Kepler and Marsh turn things around or Rojas is given more opportunity to develop, the Phillies’ decision to avoid bold outfield upgrades could haunt them all season. What was once seen as a manageable weak spot may now be turning into a serious liability, threatening the team’s playoff hopes unless adjustments are made soon.
