The Philadelphia Phillies have worked their way back into the playoff race after addressing several early-season issues, but questions about the outfield remain as the MLB trade deadline approaches.
Despite the team’s recent success under interim manager Don Mattingly, consistent offensive production from the outfield has been difficult to find.
The challenge became even greater when offseason addition Adolis García suffered a season-ending injury, creating another hole in the lineup.
As Philadelphia explores potential upgrades for the second half, the club must also decide what to do with veteran outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, who has spent the entire season at Triple-A and is nearing a contract opt-out clause.
De La Cruz signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies before the season and has the ability to opt out of his contract in July if he is not added to the major league roster.
That looming deadline could force Philadelphia to either promote him or risk losing him to another organization.
The timing is especially significant because the 28-year-old has caught fire at the plate after a sluggish start to the season.
While he struggled during April, De La Cruz has emerged as one of the International League’s hottest hitters in recent weeks.
According to reports, he posted an impressive .333 batting average, .429 on-base percentage, and .551 slugging percentage across 91 plate appearances in June, helping strengthen his case for a promotion.
With the Phillies continuing to search for answers in the outfield and De La Cruz’s opt-out date approaching, the organization may soon face a difficult choice: create room for the veteran on the major league roster or potentially watch another team give him an opportunity at the big-league level.
