Phillies projected to add Dodgers 2-time World Series champ to fix glaring weakness image
The Philadelphia Phillies might still be contenders in the National League next season, but their roster is far from perfect.
Compared to the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the Phillies’ roster doesn’t quite have the high-end talent or the depth that winning i all seems to require.
Perhaps, given that it’s the Dodgers they’re chasing, Philadelphia could swipe a Los Angeles fan favorite to plug one of their biggest roster holes.
On Tuesday, Eno Sarris of The Athletic analyzed the biggest roster deficiencies of Major League Baseball’s projected contenders, and the Phillies’ corner outfield was the biggest hole of any team on the list. Fangraphs projects just 1.1 WAR for Philadelphia corner outfielders next season.
In response to that flaw, Sarris strongly hinted that the Phillies should sign former Dodgers super-utility man Kiké Hernández to improve their outfield defense.
“(The last roster spot) might currently go to 30-year-old Weston Wilson, as he played all over the diamond last year,” Sarris wrote. “But would a player like Kiké Hernández make more sense? He’s more of a sure thing offensively and rated as a positive defensively at all of his positions.”
“He could come into games late to spell Castellanos and keep the outfield defense above water, and he’d generally be available at any position should the need arise.”
Last season, Hernández slashed .229/.281/.373 in 126 games. He played 71 games at third base, 25 in the outfield, 37 at the other three infield positions, and even came in to pitch on four occasions.
The benefit of signing Hernández are that he doesn’t cost much, and he can play other positions if he’s not needed in center/ Plus, he doesn’t project for much playing time in LA, so a semi-regular role with the Phillies may be the most appealing option presented to him.
Hernández is known as a great locker room presence, and bringing him into the mix with the Phillies’ already excellent team chemistry could be a perfect fit. But it’s on Dave Dombrowski and the front office to see that same vision.
