The Philadelphia Phillies will look to improve a roster that once again dealt with injuries and shortcomings, leading to an early exit in the postseason.
The two corner outfield spots are key areas Dave Dombrowski, Preston Mattingly and the front office will need to focus on, along with the bullpen.
Left field has been a platoon over the last two seasons, while the team has struggled to get typical corner outfield production from a right fielder since Nick Castellanos’ All-Star season in 2023, where he clubbed 29 home runs and drove in a career-best 106 runs.
Since 2021, the Phillies have had 26 different starters in left field, with Brandon Marsh, Kyle Schwarber and Andrew McCutchen getting the majority of the starts during that stretch.
Over in right field, the Phillies also penciled in 26 different names to patrol right field, with Nick Castellanos and Bryce Harper earning the lion's share.
Despite the upcoming free agent pool being quite shallow, Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki are a pair of outfielders on the market that the Phillies should target that could provide stability for multiple seasons.
Entering his age 32 season next year (assuming there is a season), Arozarena could be an intriguing pickup for the Phillies. He was named an All-Star with the Seattle Mariners after slashing .281/.381/.484 with an .865 OPS. He hit 26 home runs and drove in 79 runs.
He posted a 151 wRC+ and 5.7 WAR.
Stacking him up to the hitters in the Phillies’ lineup this season, he would have ranked within the top five in AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, HR and RBIs.
Arozarena is coming off essentially a career year. His triple slash line numbers represent career highs in a full season for the outfielder, and it could have been an outlier campaign for him.
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Nonetheless, even his career numbers at .255/.350/.442 and .792 OPS, along with his ability to hit 20-plus homers in six straight seasons, warrant a phone call from the Phillies, who may need him more than any other team in the league.
He would provide much-needed pop from the right side of the plate, something this lineup has been missing for a few years. This season, the Phillies ranked 22nd in MLB in OPS and 28th in on-base percentage from their right-handed hitters.
He also has more speed on the basepaths than Suzuki, adding some athleticism to a Phillies lineup that can become station-to-station at times.
Defensively, he isn't great, but the Phillies need stabilizing bats in the lineup due to the consistent ebbs and flows this lineup has endured over the course of the last handful of seasons, especially come playoff time.
Perhaps the biggest selling point for Arozerena may not be what he does over 162 games, but what he's already done when the stakes are highest.
His postseason résumé gives him an element Suzuki simply doesn't have at the major league level—a proven ability to become a difference-maker when the calendar flips to October.
Arozarena has plenty of experience playing in big moments. He has played in 45 career postseason games, slashing .292/.380/.565 with a .946 OPS across 184 plate appearances. He also has hit 12 bombs in the playoffs and has a knack for the theatrics.
Bringing him in would more than likely mean Brandon Marsh would be traded. The veteran is not a platoon-type bat and would be an everyday plug-and-play-type offensive piece in the middle of the lineup.
He won't be cheap.
Coming off one of his best seasons offensively, he will more than likely command a contract north of $100 million.
While not young either, the Phillies may not have a choice but to add another player in his 30s into the mix to capitalize on the closing title window.
Suzuki, who will turn 33 late next season, would bring similar traits to the lineup that Arozarena would, but perhaps on a more consistent level.
This season, he slashed .270/.368/.473 with an .841 OPS to go with 26 homers, 86 RBIs and a wRC+ of 134.
His 81 walks and 5.1 wins above replacement were career watermarks. It also marked a fourth consecutive season that he posted an OPS north of .800 and third in the last four years, where it was .840 or better.
The outfielder has been a consistent middle-of-the-order bat during his tenure with the Chicago Cubs.
Since 2023, he has had at least 140 hits, 27 doubles, 20 home runs and 70 RBIs. He would be two seasons removed from his best campaign of his five-year big league career in 2025, where he posted career-best in home runs (32) and RBIs (103).
His 113 career home runs are the third-most home runs in Cubs' history, only behind Kris Bryant (138) and Hall of Famer Ernie Banks (136).
During that same stretch he has averaged 28 homers and 97 RBIs per 162-game season. He also averages 72 walks per season during that span, and his patient approach would go a long way for a Phillies lineup that has repeatedly had chase issues, especially in the postseason when it’s become magnified.
Suzuki owns a slightly better career walk rate (10.9%) compared to Arozarena (9.8%).
He’s also a significantly better defender and made major improvements in that department this season. His 14 defensive runs saved this season were good for 17th-best among all outfielders, as opposed to Arozarena’s -2.
The other caveat with Suzuki is that he would be a different type of signing for the organization.
Philadelphia historically has not ventured into signing top Japanese talent, whether directly from Japan or even once they become assimilated stateside in MLB.
Of course, it’s not easy to break into such a market when there is no prior history. Add the fact that the Los Angeles Dodgers have established themselves as the premier destination for Japanese stars looking to take their talents to the top league in the world; it makes it all that more difficult.
The Phillies recently tried their luck with Koyo Aoyagi, a right-handed pitcher the team signed to a minor league contract before the 2025 season. Aoyagi posted a 7.22 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A and never made it to the big league club.
Other examples include Tadahito Iguchi, who they traded for in 2007 and So Taguchi, who they signed after spending six seasons with St. Louis. Neither was the caliber player Suzuki is and is not a success story that the team could use as a recruiting pitch to some of the top players, like star third baseman Teruaki Sato, who plays for the Hanshin Tigers of the Nippon Professional Baseball League.
General manager Preston Mattingly reportedly took a trip overseas to observe the 27-year-old who could be making his way over to the United States.
The Phillies also shouldn’t just sign Suzuki to say they signed a Japanese talent.
However, the talent is there and Suzuki would stabilize right field, a position that has become a revolving door over the last few seasons.
Like Arozarena, Suzuki would command a multi-year deal northwards of $100 million after he signed a five-year, $85 million deal with the Cubs.
But for a Phillies team that has spent years searching for stability in right field since Bryce Harper moved to first base, Suzuki wouldn't be simply another expensive bat. He'd be a proven middle-of-the-order hitter who gets on base, provides above-average defense, and has demonstrated the kind of year-to-year consistency the position has lacked.
Both players certainly fit the needs of the Phillies and wouldn't be a bad starting point to fix this roster.
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