3 home run moves the Phillies must hit after missing out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto

1. Phillies can add another bat to the outfield with Teoscar Hernandez

If there's a glaring need for the Phillies on the positional front, it's the outfield. Nick Castellanos is a fixture in right field, but Brandon Marsh spent much of last season as a platoon option in left and rookie Johan Rojas essentially couldn't hit once the playoffs arrived. Marsh was great in the postseason, but there's room for Philadelphia to upgrade one spot (or either) in 2024.

Cody Bellinger is the true home run swing, but the Phillies probably don't want to meet his $200 million asking price after splurging on Trea Turner last winter. Bellinger has the potential to elevate any team to contention, but he's also more unstable than your average big-ticket free agent, with more downside risk than the Phillies might want.

If the Phillies aim a tier below Bellinger, however, Teoscar Hernandez is a great fit. The hard-hitting righty struggled relative to expectations in 2023, his first season with the Seattle Mariners. He slashed .258/.305/.435 with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs in 625 ABs. Far from awful, but not in line with his back-to-back All-Star campaigns with Toronto in 2020 and 2021.

That said, Hernandez is 31 years old with the potential to bounce back in a more hitter-friendly ballpark. Put him in a lineup that already includes the likes of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, and Hernández's powerful bat could flourish. Brandon Marsh could slide over to centerfield, or the Phillies could keep the defensive ace Rojas pegged in the No. 9 hole, with Hernandez's offensive support to balance the lineup.

The two-time Silver Slugger is two years removed from a 32-home run, 116-RBI season. The Phillies can afford the upside swing, clearly, and explosive offense has been the driving force behind Philadelphia's recent postseason success. Hernandez is a nice fit.