The Outfield Dilemma: Here are the Phillies 4 options to finally stabilize lineup

The Philadelphia Phillies are heading to Arlington this weekend to take on the Rangers. Outside of the fact that they rarely find success in Texas, the Phillies also need to figure out what the hell is going on in their outfield.

Trust me, I hate talking about this as much as everyone probably hates reading it, but Topper and the outfield shuffle has to be sorted out and we are officially outside of the six game promise that was made after the deadline.

Since adding Harrison Bader, Rob Thomson has gone Platoon City with Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh start against righties, Weston Wilson and Bader take over against lefties.

It’s been a cute little rotation, but it’s already starting to feel unsustainable. Fans can smell the redundancy and with Alec Bohm returning soon, Otto Kemp is going to be homeless unless a roster spot opens up.

I honestly have no idea what happens next. I’m not even sure that Topper knows what he’s going to do before tomorrow night’s game against the Rangers but here’s every possible option I could come up with when trying to sort this dilemma out.

Option 1: The Phillies Keep the Platoons

Kepler/Marsh vs. RHP, Wilson/Bader vs. LHP

This is the status quo. Everyone knows their role, nobody plays too much, and the lineup card writes itself based on the opposing pitcher’s handedness.

Still, that doesn’t really solve anything. Brandon Marsh does hit righties. Weston Wilson doesn’t do much of anything, and I think Harrison Bader could probably fill in whenever needed.

Max Kepler is also here and could be used against righties to give Bader a rest, but even that seems wildly uncertain. Kepler is slashing .204/.295/.366. That’s against righties.

Wilson’s reverse splits this year have been brutal. Bader has even splits and hits righties better. That obviously begs the question as to why he’s even platooning to begin with.

If this continues into late August, something’s gone wrong.

Option 2: The Phillies Blow It Up

Everyday OF: Marsh in LF, Bader in CF

I don’t even know why the Phillies are doing any of this. Let the best players play. Marsh is hitting .302 since May 3. Bader’s not flashy, but he’s a stabilizer, and Dombrowski didn’t trade for him to sit every four games.

Marsh has been red-hot. Bader is a vet with playoff experience. You clean up the confusion, get rid of the unnecessary moving parts, and ride the hot bats.

Sounds good, right?

Well, not really and that’s why people are frustrated with Brandon Marsh. He has eight hits against lefties since early May. He’s a .216 hitter with no power against southpaws over that stretch.

If you’re rolling with everyday Marsh, there’s no real spot for Wilson or Kepler, which obviously, wouldn’t be the worst result for this team down the stretch.

Option 3: The Phillies Only Platoon Left Field

Everyday Bader in CF, Marsh/Kemp in LF

First things first. Get rid of Weston Wilson. Otto Kemp and Brandon Marsh can platoon in left while Harrison Bader handles centerfield duties full-time.

Once Alec Bohm returns, you slide Kemp back to left and he splits time with Marsh.

Bader is too valuable to be on the bench. This solves that problem. Now you’re down to left field where all things considered, Marsh can thrive in a platoon and Otto Kemp’s bat finds a new home.

Option 4: The Phillies Bring Up Justin Crawford

Everyday Crawford in LF or CF, platoon the rest

This won’t work. Dave Dombrowski basically said it won’t happen after the trade deadline. There’s just too many guys in the outfield right now and unless the Phillies want to make a drastic move where Crawford plays every day in center while Marsh/Bader/Kemp platoon in left, I don’t see this working out at all.

Crawford adds elite speed, puts pressure on defenses, and he’s raked at every minor league stop. It’s the type of September energy injection that teams dream about.

Obviously, Justin Crawford is a hot name right now within the Phillies organization. Most fans want him to get the call to The Show and a quick look at his numbers in AAA would indicate that he’s more than ready. 

In 351 at-bats in Lehigh Valley this season, Justin Crawford is hitting .325 with a .832 OPS. He has 114 hits, three home runs, and 31 RBIs to go along with 35 stolen bases. 

Unfortunately, the Phillies can’t platoon this one. If he’s coming up, he’s playing every day. If that happens, someone’s losing their job. Obviously Weston Wilson is gone and I would go with Otto Kemp over Max Kepler.

Even then, is anyone confident that Justin Crawford is ready to face elite MLB pitching in the middle of a pennant race? That’s a gamble.

Here’s what should happen.

The most likely scenario is Option 3. You play Harrison Bader everyday in center and have Brandon Marsh platooning in left with Otto Kemp. It’s the best blend of stability and matchup advantage, and it buys more time just in case the Phillies do want to make a decision on Justin Crawford.

Stay tuned this weekend in Texas. The outfield picture might finally come into focus.

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