The Philadelphia Phillies saw their season come to an end at the hands of the Atlanta Braves in the National League wild card series earlier this month. Things aren’t exactly looking up for them either, even after retaining Don Mattingly as their manager for the next two years.
The team is aging rapidly, so to stay in contention, they may need to make some moves in free agency. The outfield has some holes that need to be filled after the World Series reaches its conclusion.
Three Chicago Cubs outfielders are free agents, and that includes switch-hitter and former All-Star Ian Happ. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report listed several teams that could be suitors for Happ and the other Cubs outfielders, and the Phillies were named among the top five.
“The Phillies took a flier on Adolis García last offseason hoping he could be a buy-low solution to their need for a right-handed hitting outfielder, but a torn lat muscle ended his season in June. Right field was a black hole until Bryce Harper moved back there following the deadline addition of Luis Arraez,” Reuter wrote.
“With Arraez set to depart in free agency, it’s a clear position of need once again, and (Seiya) Suzuki figures to be one of the top targets for the Phillies this winter. The big question is just how much more this team is willing to spend on aging veteran talent, and whether shoring up the bullpen around Jhoan Durán will be a bigger priority.”
Philadelphia Phillies Linked to Ian Happ as Free Agent Fit
It would appear that Suzuki is a higher priority for the Phillies than Happ, but Happ does bring a lot to the table. He is a solid defender on top of being an above average hitter, having won four Gold Gloves in his career.
The 2026 season was a bit of a challenge for him, as he slashed just .218/.326/.412 with a .738 OPS, but he still hit 24 home runs, had a 2.9 WAR and knocked in 68 runs for the North Siders, so there is plenty of potential with the 32-year-old. He could take over an outfield spot for the Phillies and give the lineup a little bit of a boost as they try to focus on bouncing back in 2027.
He might not be worth a long-term deal, but it will be interesting to see if the Phillies can add him on a shorter-term contract.
Ian Happ Linked to Phillies, But With a Catch
There is a catch to this, of course. Happ is going to be turning 33 years old next year, and the Phillies are already an aging club, so it might be wise for them to look elsewhere and target somebody younger. Risks always come with an aging club, typically in the form of injuries, so Happ may not be their best choice.
Still, the free agent class this winter doesn’t look to be all that strong, so it’s going to be hard to find other options. There also is a potential lockout looming, which doesn’t bode well for teams.
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