The Philadelphia Phillies have hoped for a permanent solution in center field for the last two seasons, but their hopes have largely been dashed.
In 2024, Johan Rojas proved he simply didn’t have what it takes to be an everyday major league hitter. This season, the Phillies instead brought in Max Kepler to play left field and shifted Brandon Marsh to center, where he grades out as a below-average defender.
Marsh hasn’t hit well to this point in the season, but the Phillies should be confident he can continue to hit right-handed pitching. But a Marsh-Rojas platoon in center field would mean the Phillies are always sacrificing either offense or defense.
Though it’s early to start thinking about trades, would the Phillies be in the market for a capable center fielder from the St. Louis Cardinals?
On Friday, Athlon’s Matthew Sullivan named Cardinals leadoff hitter Lars Nootbaar as a potential trade target for the Phillies at this season’s deadline.
“The Cardinals have a crowded outfield, and with a poor rotation and organizational strength, could move Nootbaar if a suitor emerges. Philadelphia needs outfield help and could be one of the best landing spots for Nootbaar,” Sullivan wrote.
“Brandon Marsh has been a disappointment, hitting just .133 on the season. Nootbaar mainly plays the corner outfield spots but has experience in center field in his career. He would start above Marsh as the new everyday center fielder.”
Nootbaar, 27, is an on-base machine who plays good defense no matter where you play him. He’s stuck in left in St. Louis right now in deference to speedster Victor Scott, but he has played over 700 innings in center field at +1 outs above average.
The Cardinals are under no pressure to trade Nootbaar since he still has three years of team control remaining, but the Phillies could dip into their reasonably deep farm system to pry him loose if St. Louis is totally out of the playoff hunt.
