"That's a sensible target, given the current setup. García should have right field spoken for with Brandon Marsh in left. The Phils want to give Justin Crawford a chance to take over the center field job. Both Marsh and Crawford are lefties. Marsh has notable career splits, with a .213/.278/.303 line and 61 wRC+ against southpaws in his career. Crawford actually fared slightly better against lefties in the minors this year but in a tiny sample of just 91 plate appearances against southpaws."
"Gelb mentions Rob Refsnyder as the kind of profile the Phillies are looking for, a righty bat who has mashed lefties in his career. He is one of many free agents to fit this profile, alongside guys like Miguel Andujar, Randal Grichuk, Austin Hays, , Austin Slater and others. Old friend Harrison Bader would be a nice fit but he can probably get an everyday center field job elsewhere."
"Crawford is more of a speed-and-defense guy anyway. He has hit well in the minors but with a high-contact, low-power approach that might be harder to pull off when facing better pitching and better defense in the majors. Time will tell how it plays but the Phils might be willing to live with whatever offense he can provide against lefties if he's stealing bases and running the ball down on the grass."
The Phillies' outfield is largely set after the Adolis García signing, with García expected in right and Brandon Marsh in left. The club is targeting a right-handed platoon bat to complement two lefty outfielders and to platoon with Marsh. Justin Crawford is being given a center field opportunity but profiles as a speed-and-defense player with limited lefty minor-league samples. Marsh has struggled against southpaws (.213/.278/.303, 61 wRC+). Rob Refsnyder and several free-agent righty bats fit the platoon profile, while Nick Castellanos remains a potential internal platoon option despite recent offensive decline.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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