Over the past several seasons, one issue has remained remarkably consistent for the Philadelphia Phillies: their ongoing struggle to secure a right-handed hitter capable of stepping in and providing a real boost.
Much of that attention, unfortunately for Philadelphia, has been directed specifically toward finding a right-handed-hitting outfielder. Time and again, the Phillies have been forced to turn to platoon solutions, and time and again, those moves have fallen short of delivering the caliber of player they truly require.
Adding to the frustration, the latest update from Jeff Passan presents a particularly discouraging picture. According to Passan, right-handed bats with the potential to meaningfully impact a contender are simply not circulating on the market right now, leaving Philadelphia in a position where they must desperately hope the landscape shifts in the coming weeks.
“Right-handed bats. Certainly, there are possibilities that attractive ones move. But so many of the potential players worth targeting (Byron Buxton, Shea Langeliers, Hunter Goodman, Willson Contreras, Pena, Paredes) are, at the moment, available only for an outlandish return.
“Should the Angels decide to deal Zach Neto, that would at least bring one impact type to the party. But as it stands now, there is not a single impactful right-handed bat who is certain to move by Aug. 3,” Passan of ESPN wrote.
The prevailing hope, then, is that Philadelphia will turn its attention toward a right-handed hitter who is not currently being advertised as available and that they might be willing to put together a substantial enough offer to pry one of those targets loose.
Whether the name in question was Byron Buxton, Shea Langeliers, or any other candidate, there is little doubt that Philadelphia’s lineup would look considerably more formidable with one of those hitters inserted into the everyday mix.
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