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The Philadelphia Phillies acquired Harrison Bader to fill their need in the outfield, but did not make any other significant moves to improve their offense.
In years past, the Phillies’ offense has stars, but there have been some inconsistencies. The team could have used an upgrade in the infield, but Dombrowski opted to settle for just Bader.
While Bader will be an asset in the outfield, the question is whether he will be enough to help the Phillies win the National League East and make a deep playoff run. While Dombrowski did swing a blockbuster trade for Jhoan Durán, FanSided’s Chris Landers thinks he is on the hot seat for not doing enough offensively.
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“But while Bader can hit lefties and is an excellent defender, he doesn’t bring the sort of offensive punch the Phillies‘ current outfield unit is sorely lacking,” wrote Landers. “The offensive inconsistencies that have plagued this team for years now still persist, and while Durán overhauls the bullpen overnight, he doesn’t address Philly’s lack of relief depth; he’s only one man, after all, and Jordan Romano, Tanner Banks and David Robertson will still be relied on for crucial outs. The Phillies got better, but they may not have done enough to finally get over the hump, and another October flameout could crank up the heat under Dombrowski’s seat.”
The Phillies reached the World Series in 2022, but have not been back since. The National League has no shortage of talented teams, and the Phillies could’ve used more help.
Bader should get Max Kepler out of the lineup, and Durán gives them a legitimate closer. However, Bryson Stott is still struggling and the rest of their outfield still leaves much to be desired.
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