Getty The Phillies could use another outfielder by the trade deadline. Could Dave Dombrowski make a run at center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.?
The Philadelphia Phillies have been among baseball’s best teams so far in 2024. However, manager Rob Thomson’s club has a clear need in the outfield as the July 30 trade deadline approaches. Could president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski make a deal within the division and acquire Miami Marlins outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.?
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller cooked up eight “outrageous” trades that would raise eyebrows and shake things up ahead of the deadline. Here’s what he put together to get Philly some outfield help:
- Phillies receive: center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.
- Marlins receive: outfielder Justin Crawford and shortstop Starlyn Caba
Miller classified this as an “outrageous” trade because deals between division rivals don’t happen often.
“Chisholm isn’t having the best season of his career, but he has been healthy (for a change) and has been more productive than Philadelphia’s current options,” Miller said. “Moreover, he’s under team control for another two seasons after this one and is only making $2.6 million this season. That makes him a long-term solution, and a relatively inexpensive one for a team that already has the highest 2025 payroll on the books.”
Chisholm Would Give the Phillies a Much-Needed Outfield Boost
Although Chisholm’s 2024 offensive numbers aren’t jumping off the page, it’d be a welcome addition to Philly’s lineup. The left-handed hitter is slashing .259/.324/.423 with 10 home runs, 12 doubles, 39 RBI, 36 runs scored and 14 steals through 336 plate appearances. His .747 OPS is somewhat far off the .860 mark he posted in his 2022 All-Star campaign, but it’s still productive.
That’s especially the case when looking at how the Phillies’ outfield has performed at the plate this season. Before July 1 games started, Philadelphia outfielders combined to hit .236/.299/.363 this season. Their collective .662 OPS ranks 23rd in baseball, per FanGraphs.
Brandon Marsh, Nick Castellanos and Johan Rojas have all racked up at least 200 plate appearances while playing in the outfield. Marsh is the only one who has produced an OPS better than .700 (it’s at .796 through 225 plate appearances).
Acquiring Chisholm would certainly give the Phillies’ outfield depth chart a boost. And thanks to his current contract status, that applies to both 2024 and in the future.
Injuries Have Put the Phillies in a Tough Spot
MLB’s 162-game regular season is a marathon. There are bound to be ups and downs between Opening Day and the final out of Game 162. The Phillies are weathering the storm right now with three impact position players on the injured list.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto underwent knee surgery on June 12. If there are no setbacks in his recovery, he should be back shortly after the All-Star break. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (strained groin) and first baseman Bryce Harper (strained hamstring) joined Realmuto on the injured list June 27.
Garrett Stubbs (career .610 OPS) and Rafael Marchan (career .702 OPS) have shared catching duties in Realmuto’s absence. Kody Clemens (.621 career OPS) has stepped in at first base for Harper. Castellanos has moved to Designated Hitter with Schwarber sidelined. That has pushed Whit Merrifield (.560 OPS so far in 2024) into more consistent playing time in the outfield.
It’s hard for any team to have enough depth to replace three top-tier contributors like Realmuto, Schwarber and Harper. But still, this shows how important it is for the Phillies to strengthen their roster before July 30. Chisholm would be a helpful addition because of his production, contract status and defensive versatility (he’s played center field, second base and shortstop in the big leagues).