There's no need to panic yet, but the Philadelphia Phillies have work to do if they want to re-establish themselves as World Series contenders.
Forget the Phillies' 3 1/2-game deficit to the New York Mets in the National League East. The main issue is that a pair of lineup regulars, third baseman Alec Bohm and center fielder Brandon Marsh, simply aren't hitting at all.
Bohm and Marsh have been instrumental parts of past Phillies playoff runs, but if the July trade deadline arrives and either or both are still slumping, Philadelphia can't afford to be gun-shy about replacing them in the starting lineup.
One baseball writer believes that Marsh, specifically, could be supplanted by a rental outfielder who was once an All-Star and Silver Slugger.
On Tuesday, ESPN's David Schoenfield named the Phillies as early trade suitors for Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr., who is in the final season of a six-year, $50 million extension but has club options for 2026 and 2027.
"Robert is just a season removed from hitting 38 home runs and slugging .542 in 2023. As with (Sandy) Alcantara, Robert can be retained beyond this season, with $20 million team options for 2026 and '27," Schoenfield wrote.
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"Even if the bat doesn't get all the way back, he at least provides premium center-field defense, and the list of teams who might need an upgrade there is long, including the Phillies."
There's no question that Robert has struggled to find his form since his standout 2023 season. After a .657 OPS in 100 games in 2024, he's all the way down to a .513 mark in 20 games to begin 2025. But he's stealing bases (seven so far) and all it could take is one hot week to turn his season around.
Who will heat up first, Marsh or Robert? The answer to that question could have major implications on the second half of the Phillies' season.
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