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The Philadelphia Phillies are getting set for what could be a wild month of November with a potential lockout looming. This is a team that has a number of needs, and how they look to address them will be interesting.
While it was the fifth straight year in which the Phillies were able to make the postseason, the team was once again eliminated earlier than they would have liked.
Right from the start of the year, it was pretty clear that this was a flawed team. However, bouncing back from being 10 games under .500 early on in the season was impressive.
At the trade deadline, the team did try to address their issues, but it ultimately didn’t work out. Now, they will be facing a lot of the same roster problems heading into the winter, and it will be interesting to see how they address it.
David Schoenfield of ESPN recently wrote about some of the best fits for upcoming free agents. For right-handed slugger Randy Arozarena, the Phillies were wisely mentioned as a possible spot.
When looking at some of the needs for Philadelphia this offseason, getting some help for their lineup is one of the top ones. Due to both Alec Bohm and Luis Arraez being free agents, the infield is going to have a different look compared to the second half of last year.
Both of those players very well could have played their final games with the Phillies, and it will be Bryce Harper returning to first base after spending the second half of the year in the outfield.
In terms of offensive production, the outfield has been a major issue. Adding a player like Arozarena would help solve a lot of those issues, and he is also a right-handed batter, which the team could use.
Last season, he slashed .281/.381/.484 with 26 home runs, 79 RBI, and 26 stolen bases. Those are some excellent numbers for the slugger, and that would be a welcome addition to this lineup.
However, while he is a good fit, he is 31 years old and will be commanding a significant contract. The Phillies’ payroll is already a very large one, and with an aging core, they would likely want to get a bit younger.
With that being said, if they are going to be trying to win a World Series, Arozarena checks a lot of boxes for the team and would be a good fit.