Early in the season, the Philadelphia Phillies appeared to be in a tough spot, starting with a 9-19 record in late April. However, after tying for the second-most wins in May with 18, excitement has grown around what the team might pursue ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Over the weekend, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Philadelphia will likely be seeking a right-handed batter this summer. Although Mike Trout won’t be joining the Phillies’ lineup later this year, the club should still have plenty of potential upgrades to consider.
Run production has remained a persistent issue. According to FanGraphs, during May the Phillies ranked 22nd in runs scored (112), 23rd in OPS (.667), and 29th in on-base percentage (.281). Their strong record that month was largely driven by a pitching staff that posted a 3.19 ERA.
A clear weak point in the Phillies’ lineup has been outfielder Adolis García. Heading into today’s MLB games, the right fielder has a .191/.274/.296 slash line with a .571 OPS, four home runs, and 15 RBIs over 199 at-bats. Between April 18 and May 31, García managed just a .174/.255/.258 slash line, a 33.6% strikeout rate, and a .513 OPS.
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