The Philadelphia Phillies should have been attempting to use Bryan De La Cruz much earlier in the season.
You typically can't read too much into small sample size, but it's really hard not to be impressed with what Bryan De La Cruz has brought to the Philadelphia Phillies signed being called up in late July.
De La Cruz is slashing .359/.400/.564 with two home runs and 11 RBI over 45 plate appearances and has already produced 0.5 WAR for the Phillies. He went 2-for-4 with a critical, game-tying RBI double in his last game on Aug. 23, and he had a two-run base knock the game prior.
Philadelphia signed De La Cruz back in November, but didn't actually decide to use him until midsummer, when the Phillies were in the middle of a rather nightmarish stretch.
All season long, everyone knew that Philly needed a boost in its lineup, particularly when it came to the outfield. And all year long, De La Cruz — an experienced veteran — was sitting in its minor-league system.
To be clear, De La Cruz will not maintain this level of production. He currently owns a .400 BABIP, which is obviously going to dip. His hard-hit rate of 40.6 percent is actually the lowest of his career, and his 6.3 percent barrel rate is his lowest mark since his rookie campaign with the Miami Marlins back in 2021.
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryan De La Cruz celebrates with designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images.But, at the very least, De La Cruz has somewhat of a track record of being a productive hitter.
The 29-year-old spent his first three-and-a-half seasons in Miami, where he posted a .724 OPS. He helped lead the Marlins to the playoffs in 2023 with 19 homers and 78 RBI, and he also collected 32 doubles.
Yes, De La Cruz strikes out a lot (career 25.1 percent K rate) and doesn't exactly have the best plate discipline, but he carries some pop, and he was always a better option than what Gabriel Rincones Jr. was providing.
Had the Phillies gone to De La Cruz — who owned an .806 OPS in Triple-A — earlier in the season, perhaps their offense wouldn't have been in so grave of a mess.
Again, what De La Cruz is currently doing is not sustainable. We all know that. But he at least brings a decent, veteran bat to the table, someone who has been in a playoff hunt before and has delivered.
We'll see how long De La Cruz can maintain this, but one thing is for sure: Philadelphia should have tried to find out several months ago.
Better late than never, I guess.
