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Adolis Garcia Took Batting Practice at Citizens Bank Park on Phillies Off Day
By Luke Arcaini
Published:
The Phillies offense is struggling… again.
Although they went 4-2 on the west coast trip last week, they scored just 17 runs in six games. Their pitching has carried them through nearly the whole month of May. The team as a whole went 18-10 during May, but the offensive ranks were near the bottom of baseball:
- AVG: .220 (26th)
- OBP: .281 (29th)
- wRC+: 85 (26th)
- WAR: 1.5 (24th)
- OPS: .667 (24th)
It doesn’t feel like any Phillies offensive player has hit over the last week consistently, but Adolis Garcia has struggled the most. Garcia is 3 for his last 57 with 30 strikeouts. He is down to just .191/.274/.296 on the year with a .571 OPS and a -0.8 WAR. Through the first three months, he has fallen right in line with $10M right fielders that haven’t worked out for the Phillies.
When the Phillies moved on from Nick Castellanos, they were nearly guaranteed a defensive upgrade in right field, no matter who they signed. Luckily for the Phillies, Garcia hasn’t lost that ability. Garcia is in the 89th percentile in Fielding Run Value, and is in the 90th+ percentile in range (OAA), arm value, and arm strength. It’s been really fun to watch Adolis play right field in 2026.
Garcia is searching for answers. Baseball is unique, because every player gets out of slumps differently. Some take a thousand swings, and some take zero on their off day.
You don’t normally see players at the stadium on a team off day, but Garcia was at Citizens Bank Park on Monday getting work in.
“He came out yesterday and hit, and he hit early again today,” Don Mattingly said pregame on Tuesday. “K(evin) Long felt good about where he was at, so we’re going to hang with him right now.”
The Phillies, like previous years, don’t really have many options to replace Garcia in right field. During off nights, the team could run an outfield of Justin Crawford, Brandon Marsh, and Steward Berroa. But that doesn’t seem like a long-term situation. Gabriel Rincones Jr could be an option sooner rather than later, but there’s no sign that the Phillies will make that call right now.
For now, they’ll stick with Garcia, the guy that they hoped would bounce back in 2026.
“I think the fact that he wants to get better, you know? Guys don’t like, in general, coming in on off days; they try to take advantage of them,” Mattingly continued pregame. “The fact that he wanted to come in yesterday, we feel like it’s a positive and came in again early today. So, again, I know he’s struggling. I think everybody obviously knows that. But the fact that he’s wanting to get better. We need him.”
Garcia will hit 8th on Tuesday night as the Phillies look to pick up where they left off in San Diego.
Luke Arcaini covers the Phillies for Crossing Broad. The wave is the worst thing is sports. Follow him on Twitter @ArcainiLuke