Phillies

The Phillies Need a Bat More Than a Reliever

By Luke Arcaini

Published: Jun 26th, 2025 · 12:44 PM EDT

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Say what you will about the Phillies bullpen, but this team needs a bat more than anything else.

No, this isn’t an overreaction to a 19-inning scoreless streak in Houston. It’s reality. Right now, the Phillies lineup just isn’t deep enough, especially against left-handed pitching.

Rob Thomson has committed to multiple platoons this season because players like Brandon Marsh, Bryson Stott, and Max Kepler haven’t 100% proved that they can play every single day. I know some of the splits look alright, but it’s pretty obvious that their at-bats aren’t anywhere close to the product they put out vs. a righty.

Right now, if the Phillies face a left-handed pitcher, 6 through 9 in their lineup feels like a black hole. Edmundo Sosa usually plays second, which is fine. He’s hitting .351 with a .907 OPS this year against lefties in 57 ABs.

Then you get to Buddy Kennedy, who just simply shouldn’t ever get real playing time on a major league roster that’s truly going for a World Series. You then have Johan Rojas, who is hitting .216 this year with a .558 OPS. He’s supposed to be the CF option against LHP and he has a .623 OPS against lefties this year with 13 hits.

The Phillies have three players on their entire roster with an OPS over .800. Kyle Schwarber, who is in the middle of a slump. Bryce Harper, who is on the IL, and Trea Turner, who has been the most consistent hitter this season:

Phillies with an OPS over .750: 4

Phillies with an OPS under .750: 9

— Luke Arcaini (@ArcainiLuke) June 26, 2025

Yes, Alec Bohm’s stats from the third week of April to now are great. But for a guy that’s going to hit third in your lineup until Bryce comes back, you need more than seven home runs and a .720 OPS.

Nick Castellanos has a .437 slugging percentage with eight home runs and 41 RBIs through 80 games. If his stats hold one more game, he’ll be on pace to finish the season with 16 home runs and 82 RBIs. You need more from the 4/5 hitter making $20M a year.

J.T. Realmuto has a .661 OPS this season. Bryson Stott has a .652 OPS. Max Kepler has a .691 OPS this season. You’re not getting enough out of a lot of players that Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies hoped would have bounce-back seasons after a lame offensive offseason.

It’s blatantly obvious that this team needs a bat. It’s more important than a reliever right now. Three Phillies starters will move to the bullpen in October. You don’t really have anyone in AAA to promote right now who can make an impact in this lineup, other than Justin Crawford, who has a 60% ground ball rate.

It’s going to have to be Crawford time soon, and just hope it works. This offense isn’t good enough. How long can you sit here and watch the same guys struggle, make the same mistakes, and continue to be more of a black hole than a dangerous out?

A right-handed bat at the trade deadline, which is one month and five days away, should be priority number one. Would Harper move back to the outfield? What outfielders are safe? Those are the questions that the Phillies are going to need to have answers to before July 31st. Because a Rodolfo Castro trade deadline isn’t going to cut it again. If that happens? You’ll probably have to wait another year to see that World Series trophy back in Philadelphia.