Over the past few seasons, the Philadelphia Phillies have pulled off several strong roster moves, but there have also been clear missteps from president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.
While it’s true that quality right-handed hitters haven’t been widely available, the club’s ongoing failure to secure a productive right-handed outfielder has become a notable weakness for a team that clearly needs that profile.
At the moment, Philadelphia sits at 33–29 and remains 8.5 games back in the National League East, though a 7–3 stretch over their last 10 games has offered some signs of progress and renewed optimism.
Even so, around Major League Baseball there is growing expectation that the Phillies will target a right-handed-hitting outfielder ahead of the trade deadline. One potential option is Taylor Ward, who CBS Sports recently suggested could be available.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports noted that the market for right-handed outfield bats is thin, with many of the top performers either unavailable or unrealistic trade targets. In that context, Ward stands out as a potential trade chip, especially if his current club falls further out of contention.
Ward is considered a likely trade candidate and could draw strong interest if made available, particularly given his previous power production, including 36 home runs in 2025 and a strong on-base profile.
While he has just two home runs in 280 plate appearances this season, his overall performance still grades as solid, with a 115 OPS+ indicating he remains an above-average hitter despite the drop in power.
For the Phillies, he represents a potential middle-of-the-order right-handed option who could address a long-standing lineup imbalance if a deal materializes.
