Phillies Could Target Slugger In Attempt to Improve Offense

One of the more troubling parts of the Philadelphia Phillies' 2026 season was how inconsistent the offense was.

Philadelphia looked like a juggernaut at times at the plate, but at other moments, the team completely faltered hitting. This ended up costing them down the stretch, with the group tumbling into the playoffs

So, as the offseason begins for the Phillies, this will be an area that the team needs to address. Bringing in players who can change this fact will be key, or changing the approach at the plate of the guys in the clubhouse.

MLB analyst Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors predicted that the Phillies would sign Taylor Ward this offseason. The contract projection for the veteran came in at one year, $12 million, with Ward getting a prove-it type of deal this offseason.

Ward split time between the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners this past season, with the slugger putting together a strange year. After hitting 36 home runs in 2025 with the Los Angeles Angels, Ward's power numbers dropped completely.

The veteran hit .225 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs, while putting up an OPS of .607 for the year. Part of the reason why his numbers dropped so dramatically was due to his swing rate going down.

Ward only swung at 34.4 percent of pitches that he saw last season, which was the lowest number in baseball, and the third-lowest mark of any hitter over a season in the decade. The hope for any interested team this offseason would be for Ward to avoid doing this again, getting his numbers back to normal.

Prior to 2026, Ward had hit at least 23 home runs in three of his last four seasons, showing how weird of a year last season was. But for the Phillies, they could try to bring him into the equation to provide a spark to the offense.

Typically, Ward has been a consistent presence in the lineup for his teams, and this is something that Philadelphia needs. The one sign of hope for Ward is that he was extremely patient at the plate, which is what teams love to see from hitters.

Putting Ward into the lineup alongside Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and others, could see his numbers jump back up. Ward wouldn't have to carry the load offensively, and this would take some of the burden off him as well.

If the Phillies could land him around this price range, it would make a lot of sense to give him a shot for the season. Ward could help the offense while also giving the team a player to shore up an outfield spot for next year.