The Phillies were already thin on outfield depth even before Friday’s surprise news of Brandon Marsh’s knee surgery. Now, they’re entering Spring Training that much thinner.
With the rest pretty much set, that area of the roster is one the Phillies are trying to supplement. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the club had already been active in the fourth outfielder free-agent market, but without an obvious match having presented itself yet, it doesn’t sound like the Marsh news will make them too much more aggressive in finding one.
Johan Rojas will enter camp as the center-field frontrunner, but he won’t be guaranteed a job until he earns it. Behind him, upper-level options are scarce. Dombrowski noted Cristian Pache and Jake Cave as the primary options to fill in if needed — in Marsh’s or Rojas’ potential absence — with Weston Wilson and Kody Clemens seeing time in the outfield this spring as well. They’ll likely be on the outside looking in.
It’s not much to work with, but adding a fourth outfielder is easier said than done. The options are out there — Gelb mentioned a few, including Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall and Whit Merrifield — but the Phillies simply don’t have much opportunity to offer. More established players like those are looking for more guaranteed playing time, and the Phillies can’t promise that. “Most of the people we’ve talked to wanted assurances that they’re going to play,” Dombrowski admitted, according to Gelb.
It’s worth noting that Marsh’s estimated timetable leaves a buffer of less than three weeks before Opening Day, so a setback could put his status in question. But regardless of Marsh’s readiness, the lack of depth is a problem the Phillies will likely want to solve, one way or another.
As Phillies Nation‘s Destiny Lugardo pointed out, the Marsh injury makes Rojas’ chances at the Opening Day lineup even greater. And with the center-field situation the only major roster question that remains somewhat up in the air, a quiet Phillies Spring Training could have just become even quieter.
Unless, of course, they make an addition. But if there’s not one to make, they’re not pressing the panic button.
“We’re fine,” Dombrowski said, per Gelb. “We feel like we’re OK.”
Must-read Phillies content
- Here’s Destiny Lugardo’s story on Marsh’s surgery and its implications.
- Dombrowski indicated on WIP this week interest in a Zack Wheeler extension. The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal went a step further, essentially calling it inevitable. Destiny Lugardo has more.
- And another from Destiny Lugardo: Here’s what that extension might look like.
- Here’s Gelb’s full story on Dombrowski’s comments in the wake of Marsh’s knee surgery.
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