The Philadelphia Phillies might as well give this guy a shot.
The Philadelphia Phillies' outfield has been one of the worst in baseball this season, and that's even considering how well Brandon Marsh has performed.
Adolis Garcia posted a .599 OPS before being ruled out for the year with a shoulder injury last month, and rookie Justin Crawford has been maddening in center field.
The Phillies are widely expected to acquire another outfielder before the MLB trade deadline, as they are currently rolling with a combination of Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Derek Hill for their final outfield slot.
Rincones has been getting most of the action in right field with Garcia on the shelf, and he hasn't exactly produced, owning a .575 OPS over 54 plate appearances.
Hill has performed well in limited action (mostly in center field), but he is a lifetime .231/.280/.358 hitter across seven big-league seasons.
Philadelphia will surely be able to add someone before Aug. 3, but for now, why not give Bryan De La Cruz a chance?
The Phillies recently re-signed De La Cruz after the 29-year-old opted out of his minor-league contract. They then optioned him to Triple-A.
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryan De La Cruz. Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images.But can De La Cruz really be any worse than what we have seen from Philadelphia's outfield other than Marsh this year?
Phillies fans probably remember De La Cruz from his Miami Marlins days, where he spent three-and-a-half big-league campaigns and actually produced. In fact, he has more home runs and RBI against Philly than he does versus any other team.
His best showing arguably came in 2023 when he slashed .257/.304/.411 with 19 home runs and 78 RBI, helping lead the Marlins to a playoff appearance. He also posted a respectable .724 OPS throughout his tenure in South Beach.
Yes, De La Cruz has fallen since then. Miami traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates midway through 2024, and he ended up recording a .514 OPS over 168 plate appearances with the Bucs. He then made his way to the Atlanta Braves, where he hit .191 in very brief action.
But the Dominican native has displayed that he can be a productive bat in the past.
At the very least, De La Cruz has some pop that might play well in Citizens Bank Park ... at least more than what Rincones has showed. He is a poor defender, but at this point, Philadelphia just needs some offense.
De La Cruz currently lays claim to a .769 OPS in Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, having homered 12 times with 51 RBI. It might be time for the Phillies to promote their former nemesis to the majors. What's the worst that could happen?
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