Phillies Outfield Gets New Hope with De La Cruz Call-Up

Bryan De La Cruz has been promoted to the Philadelphia Phillies, offering a potential solution to their persistent outfield deficiencies. The team made this move on Tuesday, also placing catcher Garrett Stubbs on the injured list because of left wrist inflammation. Stubbs had not played since July 9 and his placement on the IL is retroactive by three days.

De La Cruz brings a career .251 batting average with 55 home runs and 191 RBIs across 491 MLB games with previous teams. After a notable performance in the Dominican Winter League, he has hit .269 with 12 homers and 56 RBIs in 84 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year. His spring training performance with the Phillies was also promising, batting .326 with three doubles and a home run.

The Phillies' outfield has been a revolving door this season, with multiple players failing to establish themselves. Otto Kemp, Felix Reyes, Steward Berroa, and Gabriel Rincones have all had stints with the major league team but have struggled offensively, collectively contributing only three home runs and 10 RBIs in 144 plate appearances. Derek Hill, acquired in June, has shown more power with four homers and nine RBIs in 25 games.

The team's right fielders currently rank last in MLB in WAR at 0.2, highlighting the need for offensive improvement. De La Cruz's promotion signals an effort to bolster this weak area of the lineup.