San Diego Padres free agent outfielder should be the first player the Phillies’ call this offseason

Not like you don’t know this already, but the Philadelphia Phillies‘ offense has gone ice-cold at the worst times over the last three postseasons, and it’s obvious they need to shake things up before pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater in 2025.

After falling short in the 2022 World Series against the Astros, losing to Arizona in last year’s NLCS, and then getting bounced in this year’s NLDS by the Mets, Philadelphia’s trajectory has been heading in the wrong direction and 2-of-3 spots in the outfield should be up for grabs this winter.

As the offseason approaches, finding a difference-maker at the plate has to be priority No. 1 for Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies’ front office. They can start with the San Diego Padres and free agent outfielder Jurickson Profar, who’s coming off a career year with the Padres.

Profar turns 32 before next season and will likely come cheap while providing a massive upgrade to the Phillies’ outfield. Spotrac projects a two-year deal worth around $25 million. If the Phillies can land him at that price and get even 80% of his 2024 production, it would be a solid boost to both the lineup and the clubhouse.

Profar, who’s now had ten full MLB seasons with four different teams (including two stints with San Diego), made his first All-Star appearance this year after re-signing with the Padres following a late 2023 minor league deal. In 2024, he posted career highs in batting average (.280), hits, RBIs, homers, and OPS, while also playing in a personal-best 158 games.

Jurickson Profar ROBS Mookie Betts

WOW!! JURICKSON PROFAR ROBS MOOKIE BETTS OF A HOME RUN!! 🤯

📲 Watch in 4K on the FOX Sports App pic.twitter.com/aUkqFlKTFV

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 7, 2024

Jurickson Profar’s 2024 season was a revelation. After spending more than a decade as a journeyman and role player for various teams, Profar found his groove back with the Padres, delivering the best season of his career.

Profar was one of MLB’s top breakout players this season, slashing .280/.380/.459 with a career-best .839 OPS. He set personal records across the board, playing in a career-high 158 games while collecting 158 hits, 94 runs, 24 home runs, and 85 RBIs.

His bat was scorching through the first half—Profar was hitting above .300 by July, even ranking among the league leaders at one point. His impressive performance earned him his first All-Star nod, a fitting capstone to a standout season.

And it wasn’t just Profar who thrived—the Padres put together one of their best seasons in franchise history. While they eventually fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, San Diego surpassed preseason expectations, establishing themselves as a legitimate contender heading into October.

That’s probably the main reason why Profar has been adamant on returning to San Diego next season. At the same time, regardless of a year that redefined his career trajectory, at 32, he’s now an intriguing free-agent target for teams like the Phillies, who could use a versatile, patient hitter capable of providing a much-needed jolt to their lineup.

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