The Philadelphia Phillies are getting set for an important offseason, and there will be no shortage of big decisions for the team to make. With a lot of needs, one of the more pressing will be for their outfield.
As the Phillies prepare for what will be an uncertain winter around baseball with a potential lockout looming, the team will still be focused on getting better. Regardless of what happens with the labor talks, Philadelphia has needs to address this winter, and they are unfortunately in a couple of areas that have plagued the team in recent years.
The struggles of the bullpen have been well-documented, and this will certainly be a spot that the Phillies look to address as well. However, the bullpen wasn’t the only reason for the struggles of Philadelphia, and the team will need to get some help for the lineup.
This was a unit that was really inconsistent throughout the year, and that ended up hurting them in the playoffs as well. Even though they moved Bryce Harper to right field to accommodate Luis Arraez being acquired and the infield getting shuffled around, Harper isn’t the long-term answer in the outfield. With him heading back to first base next season, one potential free agent who could make a lot of sense is Ian Happ.
Happ Would Be Strong Addition
While it has been a very solid career for Happ in Chicago, it seems like both sides could be moving on, with him being 32 years old and the Cubs having some other options to use.
This season, Happ was able to slash .218/.326/.412 with 24 home runs and 68 RBI. The veteran outfielder has a good eye at the plate, and with an on-base percentage over 100 points higher than his batting average, he won’t make it easy on opposing pitchers.
Even though the batting average did drop a bit from years prior, he was still an effective slugger and was able to total at least 20 home runs for the fourth straight year.
As a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, Happ would also bring some defensive talent to a team that could use an upgrade in that area.
While he isn’t getting any younger, Happ is a proven veteran at the plate and a very good defender as well. Furthermore, as a switch hitter, he will provide balance to a lineup that could use it.
Due to his age and coming off a bit of a down season, Happ would likely be an affordable option in free agency for Philadelphia and could help check a couple of boxes for the team.
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