Brandon Marsh’s April was nothing short of brutal. He did not record a hit in 29 at-bats in the month. Through his first 17 games of the season, he was batting .095. He then injured his hamstring, bringing it all to a halt for the outfielder.
Once he returned in May, Marsh rebounded. He batted .303 with an .836 OPS for the rest of the year. He settled into a more ideal situation after the trade deadline, as Harrison Bader’s arrival allowed Marsh to play left field and sit against left-handed pitchers. The lefty hitter excelled in his role.
A Game 1 injury to Bader turned Marsh back into an everyday center fielder for the rest of the National League Division Series, which put some of his weaknesses in the spotlight. He had to play against more lefties and batted .077 in four postseason games. He misplayed a ball on defense in Game 3. His performance seemed to confirm the notion that Marsh is a very helpful platoon player but not a full-time starter.
With that in mind, should the Phillies keep Marsh in 2026 and allow him to just play a role, or should they look to trade him as they try to reshape the outfield? Our writers weighted in; read what they had to say and vote in our poll below.
Previous editions of Stay or Go:
This is Year 3 of me looking around and wondering if I’m the weird one for thinking Marsh is a really good player and that the fanbase’s overall perception of him is way off. All he has done is hit (righties) since coming over to the Phillies via trade in 2022. He is a strong defender in left field who is at the very least playable in center field. He has a higher OPS than Julio Rodríguez since the start of the 2023 season. Among the Marsh, Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm trio, he has been the best hitter. If the Phillies did trade him this offseason, the return should be significant. There are not many outfielders in the league as good as him.
Ty Daubert — Editorial Director — Maybe
If the Phillies believe they can trade Marsh for an equally productive major-league contributor that might make the entire team fit better, it shouldn’t be off the table. And Marsh has shown enough that he should net a solid return. But there’s nothing wrong with having a strong-side platoon player of Marsh’s caliber — as long as he’s utilized like a strong-side platoon player. To get the most out of Marsh, the Phillies need to make sure he’s playing a majority of his games in one of the outfield corners and not starting against lefty pitchers. If they can find a better right-handed-hitting platoon partner and stick to the plan, Marsh’s numbers and the club will both benefit.
Bailey Digh — Staff Writer — Stay
I said “Go” on Harrison Bader, Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos. The Phillies appear set to remake their outfield this winter. Marsh is the only outfielder I’d bring back. He hit .303/.358/.478 after the end of April, a month in which he didn’t record a hit. I think the Phillies have misused Marsh on defense, having him play center field at times. He’s a left fielder. And that’s where I’d play him next year with a right-handed-hitting platoon partner. To finish the outfield, I’d have Justin Crawford in center – a risk as some evaluators think he’s better suited for left field right now – and a power-first, right-handed-hitting bat to play right field.
Nathan Ackerman — Staff Writer — Stay
Marsh plays a stellar left field, had an .836 OPS after April and OPSed .838 against righties this season. As such, his trade return could be significant — but given his comparatively weak center field and his platoon profile, he’s probably more valuable to the Phillies than in a deal. That value can be sky-high if they can finally find a consistent platoon partner and let him roam the position he roams best, which may require Justin Crawford in center. That might not be ideal, but the answer isn’t parting with one of your better players. Marsh isn’t perfect, but there’s value in a strong corner-outfield defender who hits quite well against the majority dextrality. He stays.
