The Philadelphia Phillies expected to promote outfielder Bryan De La Cruz to their major league roster on July 21 according to independent baseball journalist Mike Rodriguez and Matt Gelb of The Athletic. In a recent report Gelb hinted the Phillies could elevate De La Cruz soon. The Phillies will be getting roster clarity between now and the August 3 trade deadline. De La Cruz recently exercised his opt out and re-signed with the Phillies on a major league deal. It is to be determined what the corresponding 26-man roster move will be.
According to my sources, the Philadelphia Phillies have called up Dominican outfielder Bryan De La Cruz to the Major Leagues.
It’s also worth recognizing the work he put in with Amaurys Nina during the days leading up to the All-Star Game. That hard work is now paying off.#MLB… pic.twitter.com/X08jq9n2Xp
— Mike Rodriguez (@mikedeportes) July 20, 2026
De La Cruz has a .269/.358/.448 line with 12 home runs and 56 RBI in 84 minor league games this season. In addition to that De La Cruz has a 110 wRC+ and a .316 BABIP in the minor leagues this year. De La Cruz has a 0.59 BB/K rate as well. Defensively De La Cruz has made 55 appearances in right field compared to six appearances in left field this season in the minors. De La Cruz has major league experience at all three outfield spots but has not played center field since 2023. The expectation according to Gelb is that De La Cruz will get playing time primarily against left-handed pitchers.
Phillies Expected To Promote Outfielder De La Cruz To Majors
Possible Corresponding 26-Man Roster Move
With the Phillies expected to add De La Cruz to their 26-man roster someone will have to be optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, designated for assignment or placed on the injured list. The most logical corresponding move is the Phillies bench carousel seeing a resolution with the backup catcher spot. Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán are both out of minor league options. Stubbs has been slightly better at the plate than Marchán and should get the nod to be the backup catcher going forward. This would mean that Marchán would be designated for assignment.
Immediate Implications For Phillies Roster
De La Cruz will presumably be auditioning to remain on the Phillies 26-man roster beyond the August 3 trade deadline. This will likely be a short term move. In addition to the trade deadline being soon Tommy Pham reportedly has a July 25 opt-out date on his minor league deal. With the Phillies expected to call up De La Cruz this close to the opt-out date it could lead to Pham not getting on the Phillies 26-man roster. De La Cruz lacking defensive versatility likely influenced the Phillies deciding to choose Dylan Moore to be on the Opening Day bench over De La Cruz. That equation has since changed on multiple fronts.
Trade Deadline Should See A Larger Fix For Outfield Issues
Neither De La Cruz nor Pham will likely be on the Phillies 26-man roster after the trade deadline. Carrying two players who are exclusively outfielders among the four bench spots is not feasible for an extended period of time. With the trade deadline being later though there is less of a gap between the trade deadline and September 1 roster expansion than usual. De La Cruz being called up is part of the Phillies remade outfield that will likely see further changes. A trade for a right-handed outfield bat needs to be a top priority for Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.
Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
