Heading into the 2025 MLB season, the Philadelphia Phillies had a clear weakness they needed to address despite an otherwise strong roster: the lack of offensive production from their outfield—aside from Nick Castellanos.
In 2024, the Phillies’ left fielders were just 21st in the league in both home runs (17) and RBIs (65). Their center fielders fared even worse, ranking 27th in home runs (9) and 24th in RBIs (60). While Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas provided reliable defense in those spots, their offensive contributions fell well short of expectations.
Looking to bolster their outfield bats without compromising too much on defense, the Phillies explored options for improvement. One such attempt came at the 2024 trade deadline when they acquired Austin Hays from the Orioles—a move that ultimately didn’t pan out.
Even though it’s early, the Phillies are already paying for their offseason outfield decisions
During the offseason, the Phillies had a chance to swing for the fences with marquee names like Juan Soto, Anthony Santander, and Teoscar Hernández on the free agent market, along with trade opportunities for Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. Instead, they opted for a more cautious route, signing veteran outfielder Max Kepler in free agency.
Beyond that move, Philadelphia made no further additions to their outfield group.
As a result, the team entered the 2025 season with an outfield mix featuring Castellanos alongside a rotation of Kepler, Marsh, and Rojas. Following spring training, Rojas was slotted in as the fourth outfielder, while Kepler and Marsh earned starting roles alongside Castellanos in what was expected to be a stable trio.
Now, just over two weeks into the regular season, that plan is already showing serious cracks. Simply put, the outfield situation is turning into a mess.
Castellanos has remained a bright spot, performing at a high level with a .308 batting average, a .910 OPS, two home runs, seven RBIs, and six runs scored in his first 11 games before Thursday. But Kepler and Marsh have both stumbled badly out of the gate, struggling to generate any consistent offensive impact.
Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh have struggled at the plate early on
After an impressive showing in spring training, Max Kepler has failed to carry that momentum into the regular season. Through 10 games, he’s hitting just .212 with a .714 OPS, tallying only one home run and one RBI—disappointing numbers, especially for someone slotted in the heart of the lineup. Most notably, his reputation as a right-handed pitching specialist has not held up so far, as he’s managed only a .190 average against righties.
Brandon Marsh hasn’t fared any better. In fact, he’s been even more underwhelming at the plate. Over his first 10 games, Marsh is batting just .143 with a .523 OPS, contributing only two runs, one homer, and four RBIs. Even more concerning is his performance against right-handers, typically the more favorable matchup for him—he’s slashing a meager .105 with a .453 OPS in those situations.
Given the offensive struggles of both Kepler and Marsh, you’d expect Johan Rojas to be getting more opportunities. But that hasn’t been the case.
The 24-year-old has started just three games all season and has only nine at-bats to his name. Despite the limited playing time, Rojas has made the most of it—hitting .444 with a .944 OPS, an RBI, and a stolen base. For a young talent still honing his game, keeping him on the bench when he’s producing in his rare chances seems like a missed opportunity for the Phillies, especially considering the offensive issues plaguing the rest of the outfield.
Is playing Edmundo Sosa in the outfield the best solution the Phillies can come up with?
The Phillies have also begun exploring unconventional solutions, including giving Edmundo Sosa a shot in the outfield. The 29-year-old infielder has been one of the team’s hottest hitters to start the season, posting an impressive .478 batting average and 1.152 OPS, along with four runs scored and six RBIs in just seven games.
In response to his hot bat, the Phillies gave Sosa his first-ever professional start in left field on April 8 against the Braves. While the move is intriguing, asking him to learn a new position on the fly carries some risks.
For starters, there are bound to be growing pains, like the miscommunication between Sosa and Rojas during that very debut in left. There’s also the mental toll that comes with adjusting to a new defensive role, which may have contributed to his 0-for-3 night with two strikeouts in that same game.
Still, Sosa also showed flashes that suggest the experiment may be worth extending, at least for now.
Regardless of who’s out there, though, the Phillies’ outfield situation remains a concern. Unless Kepler or Marsh can find their form—or unless Rojas is given the chance to prove himself with regular playing time—the team risks having its outfield become a long-term liability. And if it does, it could very well be the flaw that derails Philadelphia’s championship aspirations.
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