Phillies have their new right fielder, what else does it mean?

The Phillies acquired their new shiny right fielder on Monday morning.

They are finalizing a deal with former Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia for one-year and $10 million, the same exact deal they signed Max Kepler to 360 days ago.

It is a good buy-low move for the Phillies with a ton of upside.

Garcia has struggled offensively the last two seasons, hitting just .225 with a poor on-base percentage of .278 and a .675 OPS with 33 home runs and 160 RBI. Garcia’s track record speaks much higher of him, though, with two All-Stars and a 2023 ALCS MVP.

This deal means a couple of different things for the Phillies:

Nick Castellanos is as good as gone

Since the Phillies’ demise in the NLDS to the Dodgers, Castellanos has been the team’s trade headline. Both sides have agreed that a change of scenery would be beneficial, and it is rumored the Phils are basically “begging someone” to take him off their plate.

Castellanos is coming off a 2025 season where he slashed .250/.294/.400, his defense significantly regressed, became a platoon player in right field, and was benched by Rob Thomson in June after saying something to Thomson that left the dugout disgusted.

It makes sense that a team would try to move off a guy like that.

The Phillies’ acquisition of Garcia is an automatic indicator that Castellanos will not be a Phillie in 2026, whether via trade or release, which would cost the team $20 million. The only other position Garcia has played other than right field in his seven-year career has been designated hitter.

While Garcia and Castellanos both underperformed at the plate, the defensive numbers are staggering.

Garcia in 2025: 16 defensive runs saved, one out above average.

Castellanos:-11 defensive runs saved, -12 outs above average.

Last season, Garcia had six outfield assists. The Phillies outfield combined for 17 between Harrison Bader, Castellanos, Max Kepler, Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, and Weston Wilson.

You are going from perhaps the worst defender in baseball to a former Gold Glover. If anything, this signing is a significant surplus for the defense.

Bader will likely not return

The Phillies still reportedly have interest in retaining Bader. However, after signing Garcia, it really does not seem likely.

It will have to take some maneuvering to bring Bader back to Philadelphia. He is seeking a three-year deal worth between $10-$15 million per season, per a report from Ken Rosenthal. An Alec Bohm trade could give the Phillies some payroll relief, Matt Gelb mentioned for The Athletic. He is projected to make just over $10 million in his final year of arbitration.

Also, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reported that the Phillies might move on from Bader if they can re-sign both Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto.

The Phillies’ outfield seems to be set. Justin Crawford will debut in left, Brandon Marsh in center, now Garcia in right, along with Otto Kemp and Wilson sprinkled in. Bringing Bader back would be great, but the Phillies need to shift all of their attention to Realmuto, who has been sitting on a two-year offer from the Phillies for a week now. Also, at this point, financially, it could become impossible to re-sign Bader after a Realmuto deal strikes.

Bader provides elite defense, and his bat was a spark following his trade to Philadelphia at the deadline. However, his offensive track record does not back up his excellent month and a half.

The Phillies are not “running it back”

This is a good move for those worried the Phillies would just run it back. Obviously, they went out and got a guy a little out of the box.

Garcia is nowhere near where he once was, but this was one of the best right-handed bats out there, and he adds some much needed swagger to this lineup.

From 2021-23, Garcia had a .777 OPS, making two AL All-Star teams and winning the 2023 ALCS MVP. He also has the fifth most home runs while playing outfield since 2022 with 99, behind just Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, and Teoscar Hernandez. Maybe working with Kevin Long and other experienced Phillies hitters could rejuvenate the 32-year-old’s bat, and he can return to that 2023 form he was in.

Garcia has real upside, and just a one-year deal limits risk. If the Phillies can get even a partial return to what he once was, they have added right-handed protection for Bryce Harper and Schwarber without a long-term financial commitment, something they have not had over the last four seasons.

And the Phillies seem not to be done.

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