Philadelphia Phillies fans have been calling for an upgrade in center field for years, but despite multiple offseasons and trade deadlines, the team has yet to make a significant move.
Dave Dombrowski, for reasons unknown, hasn’t prioritized the position, resulting in continued underwhelming production from center field.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently proposed a solution: a trade with the Baltimore Orioles for Cedric Mullins. Mullins is a strong player who becomes a free agent in 2026. Given the Orioles’ young core and looming payroll decisions, he may not fit into their long-term plans.
As Miller put it, the Phillies seem to be embracing an “if it’s broken, don’t fix it” mindset when it comes to center field.
“Most of us expected Philadelphia to aggressively pursue an upgrade last summer,” Miller noted, “but instead they made a half-hearted attempt by acquiring Austin Hays, who was both ineffective and injury-prone before serving as a backup in their NLDS loss to the Mets.”
Whether Mullins gets moved will likely depend on Baltimore’s performance leading up to the trade deadline. If they’re in playoff contention, they’re unlikely to deal him.
As it stands, the Orioles are off to a 5-8 start and sit at the bottom of the AL East. Unless they rebound quickly, the gap could widen significantly. Mullins, meanwhile, has been hot at the plate, hitting .286 with a stellar 182 OPS+.
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