Bryan De La Cruz has been absolutely tearing it up for the Philadelphia Phillies, accumulating an astonishing 0.4 bWAR in just five games. He’s become an immediate, massive factor for a team desperate for a right-handed hitting outfielder. The Phillies had a gaping hole after Adolis Garcia’s injury, and while Derek Hill stepped up as a solid bench option, they still needed someone to grab that starting role. De La Cruz isn’t just grabbing it; he’s running with it.
Mattingly’s Big Bet on De La Cruz
Philly manager Don Mattingly isn’t waiting around for the trade deadline. According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, Mattingly is already handing the keys to the starting right field spot to the ex-Miami Marlins slugger. This isn’t just a tryout, it’s a real shot, especially with Mattingly admitting he’s looking for something better. “Rico’s been given a decent runway against right-handed pitching,” Mattingly said. “It hasn’t been as good as we’d like. De La’s been getting his hits, and I know he’s going to be solid in the outfield and all that. So I don’t feel like it’s going to be worse than what we’re seeing.” It’s not a full-on ringing endorsement, but when a manager talks about “not feeling like it’s going to be worse” after only 11 at-bats, the guy’s making an impression.
Instant Impact in Philly
What an impression it’s been! In just five total games, De La Cruz has ripped off eight hits, scored two runs, snagged one double, blasted one home run, and notched one RBI. He’s walked once and struck out only twice, all adding up to an insane .727 batting average and a ridiculous 1.841 OPS heading into Wednesday’s game against his former team. That 0.4 bWAR in five games is more than he put up in the *last 433 games* of his big-league career since 2022 before landing in Philadelphia. That’s a “holy cow, where did this come from?” moment. He’s currently the seventh-most valuable player on the Phillies this season, outshining Trea Turner, Justin Crawford, Edmundo Sosa, Gabriel Rincones Jr., and Alec Bohm. That kind of production won’t last all season, but for right now, the Phillies have zero reason to pull him from that starting lineup, even against right-handers.
It might be too early to crown Bryan De La Cruz as the absolute answer to the Phillies’ right-handed outfield need, but he’s done more than enough to earn a long, hard look right through the August 3 deadline and probably well beyond it. The Phillies have a decision to make, and De La Cruz is making it a whole lot easier by simply going out there and producing. Can he keep this magic going? Everyone in Philly will be watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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