Insider names Phillies fan-favorite as 'trade candidate' after disappointing season

The Philadelphia Phillies' outfield could have a whole new look by the start of the 2025 season.

When examining the Phillies roster from top to bottom, the outfield stands out as an obvious problem. Philadelphia had three All-Stars on their infield this season, three in the starting rotation, two in the bullpen, and none in the outfield.

For most of the season, the Phillies had veteran Nick Castellanos in right field, youngster Johan Rojas in center field, and glue guy Brandon Marsh in left. Of the three, Marsh was likely the biggest disappointment compared to the expectations the Phillies had for him.

Though Marsh is part of the fabric of this Phillies' team in the clubhouse, the fact was that he still couldn't hit left-handed pitching this season, which limited his utility to the team. That spurred president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to trade for right-handed hitter Austin Hays, which hardly paid any dividends.

Now, Marsh could be playing elsewhere altogether in 2025. Matt Gelb of The Athletic named the 26-year-old as one of the most obvious trade candidates for the Phillies entering the all-important winter.

"The Phillies do not have to move on from Marsh or Rojas, but both could become trade candidates this offseason," Gelb said. "Marsh, who turns 27 in December, will be first-time eligible for arbitration. He looks like a platoon player — and a valuable one. Whether he fits whatever reimagined outfield the Phillies construct remains to be seen."

From his wildly unkempt hair and beard, to his infectious personality, to his coining of the hypothetical Phillies rock band "Stay Loose And Sexy" earlier this season, Marsh has endeared himself to Phillies faithful since arriving via trade in 2022.

It's not as though Marsh hasn't been a solid player for the Phillies, either. He has 7.4 wins above replacement for them in two-and-a-half years, which is more than respectable. But if he's purely a platoon player, perhaps he can bring them back something of more value in a trade.

The Phillies are going to have to make some tough calls this winter, and deciding whether to retain Marsh is certainly one of them. If they end up deciding to move him, they'll have to nail the trade to justify letting go of such a popular character.

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