The free agency conversation continues with big decisions surrounding the outfield for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2022 season. Bryce Harper may be signed with the team until 2031, but that does not solve the issues in the other two outfield positions. The futures of both Andrew McCutchen and Odubel Herrera are questionable, and that grants speculation on potential free agency moves this off-season.
Zeroing in on center field, Herrera has started in 116 games for the Phillies this season batting .255/.309/.414 with a 1.8 WAR. Next year, Herrera will be entering his age 30 season and while his statistics are very similar to his last full season in 2018, there is certainly room for improvement at the position. Philadelphia has a club option to sign Herrera back for $11.5 million in 2022, and have another option to bring him back in 2023 for $12.5 million.
Should Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies choose to go in a different direction than Herrera, they will have some options to fill the open slot. The Phillies recognize the strong foundation they have already set up, and they will likely want to strike now while their top players are still in their prime. The point of letting Herrera go would be to bring in a piece that can make the team go from playoff hopefuls to World Series contenders.
The most desired and potentially the best option of all free agent center fielders this fall is Starling Marte. Sure, he is getting up there in age at nearly 33-years-old, but he is currently having one of the best seasons of his career slashing .313/.387/.462 with a 4.7 WAR and a league average fielding percentage. His 45 steals leads the MLB and are the second most of his career. Without a doubt, Marte would elevate the Phillies in 2022 and should be a priority for the Phillies front office this fall.
Beyond Marte, the other free agent center fielders are very hit-or-miss. Jackie Bradley Jr and Kevin Pillar both have player options after this season, and while their defense is unquestionably top tier, their offense would be a major regression compared to Herrera. Similarly, Billy Hamilton, Delino DeShields Jr., and Juan Lagares would not make any greater impression on the team than what they already have.
Looking at free agents from the other outfield positions, both Charlie Blackmon and Nicholas Castellanos have player options after this season, but Blackmon is having a down year by his standards and Castellanos would definitely boost the offense but has not played center field at the major league level. There’s also no guarantee that they even exercise their player options and instead stick with their respective teams.
Kyle Schwarber will be available this fall, and though he has also never played center field he is currently in the best season of his career and will likely only ascend from here. Schwarber’s .927 OPS is the best of his career and is the 13th best in Major League Baseball this season with a minimum of 200 plate appearances, according to baseballsavant.mlb.com.
Again, the previous three options would not suit well for the position's defensive need.
The Phillies could be contenders in 2022 with a few quality moves this offseason. An improvement in center field is imperative to a postseason run next year. With uncertainty surrounding the outfielders in the Philadelphia's farm system and the average performance of Herrera this season, maybe it is time for a big move to get an All-Star caliber player to play alongside Harper in the outfield.
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