Otto Kemp is the Phillies’ best option to fill a big need. That means the search likely will go on.

Paco Figueroa stood on the top step of the Phillies’ dugout and waved his arms like an air traffic controller.

In left field, Otto Kemp shifted his feet accordingly.

This is part of Figueroa’s job. He’s in charge of positioning the Phillies’ outfielders based on the hitter at the plate, the pitcher on the mound, and the dimensions of the ballpark. A foot here or there could be the difference between catching a fly ball and watching it fall for a hit.

» READ MORE: Jesús Luzardo vs. Juan Soto could be an October preview, as Phillies earn a rare series win vs. Mets

But Figueroa paid extra attention to left field Sunday night. For the first time in 12 games, the Phillies faced a left-handed starting pitcher. Thus, for the first time since he got called up two weeks ago — and only the eighth time in his professional career — Kemp played the outfield.

This is how it will be for a while, including probably Tuesday and Wednesday in Houston. Against a lefty starter, Kemp will move to left field, never mind that the righty-swinging infielder’s triple-A crash course showed that he’s “probably average” in the outfield, according to Rob Thomson, who like most managers, tends to accentuate positives.

Is there a greater indictment of Max Kepler? In December, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the Phillies planned “to have him play every day” in left field. But Kepler hasn’t started against a non-opener lefty since April 2.

Through Sunday, Kepler ranked 120th among 161 qualified hitters with a .388 slugging percentage. But he’s slugging only .356 against lefties, and the Phillies have deemed a rookie infielder to be a better left-field alternative.

Center fielder Brandon Marsh, also a left-handed hitter, is on a 15-for-39 roll since June 8. Is it a coincidence that his surge has come at a time when the Phillies faced 11 righty starters in a row?

“Could be,” Thomson said.

But rather than sliding Marsh over to left field Sunday night to face Mets lefty David Peterson, Thomson still went with Kemp. It underscored the need for a natural outfielder who bats from the right side, if not an overall upgrade in left field.

» READ MORE: Is Bryce Harper close to a return? The Phillies star could test his wrist in batting practice this week.

If that sounds like a familiar trade-deadline objective, the Phillies did try to address it last season. But Austin Hays got injured, sick, and ultimately non-tendered in the offseason.

And so, the search probably will continue before July 31.

Then again, maybe it isn’t such a pressing need. Everything about the Phillies is viewed through the prism of October, and the most formidable competition for the pennant isn’t exactly flush with lefty starters.

The Dodgers have 37-year-old Clayton Kershaw and maybe, in time, injured Blake Snell (shoulder). The Cubs have Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd. The Mets have Peterson and eventually Sean Manaea, who hasn’t pitched yet this season because of a strained muscle in his side.

Kyle Schwarber‘s majors-leading 12 homers against lefties are twice as many as any other left-handed batter. But it would help if some of the Phillies’ right-handed hitters were more productive against lefties. J.T. Realmuto, in particular, is slugging .181 against them. Among right-handed hitters, only Houston’s Christian Walker (.171) is worse.

Super-sub Edmundo Sosa provided a boost Sunday night. Making his second start in 12 games, the utility infielder beat out a single against Peterson in the second inning, smashed an opposite-field homer in the five-run fourth, and injected his usual energy. He’s batting .360 and slugging .500 against lefties.

“Us bench players, we’ve got to think we’re an important piece to this, especially me platooning on the left-handed pitching,” Sosa said through a team interpreter. “We’ve just got to be ready no matter what, whether we’re playing [every] one or two days, or even five, we have to be ready for the moment.”

» READ MORE: The Phillies set goals for Trea Turner in 2025, and he has bought in: ‘He’s doing everything we asked’

The Phillies tried Sosa in left field for one game in April in Atlanta. He robbed a home run in the first inning but also had a ball drop between him and center fielder Johan Rojas. Sosa hasn’t played the outfield since.

Thomson wants to take a longer look at Kemp.

“I do,” he said, “because I think he’s comfortable with it.”

And because, right now, it’s the Phillies’ best option.

Orion Kerkering didn’t pitch in the three games against the Mets. There wasn’t a save situation, either.

Are those two things related?

Maybe. Thomson doesn’t typically designate a closer, but in each of the last two seasons, he eventually settled on one reliever to mostly handle the ninth inning. Craig Kimbrel filled that role in 2023. Last year, it was trade-deadline pickup Carlos Estévez.

The Phillies have envisioned Kerkering as a future closer ever since they called him up late in the 2023 season. And he picked up his first two career saves last week in Miami.

» READ MORE: The Phillies’ outfield production is among the majors’ worst since Bryce Harper moved. Can they fix it?

“It felt like I went in to take the test to get my driver’s license and I already knew everything,” said Kerkering, who pitched high-leverage postseason innings before ever making an opening-day roster. “I didn’t feel like anything was too different. Obviously everyone elevates it because it’s the ninth inning and anything can happen. But how I look at it is, it’s three outs. What can I do to get three outs the easiest way to help my team win?”

Kerkering hasn’t allowed an earned run since May 6, a span of 16⅓ innings. Over his last eight appearances, he has retired 24 of 32 batters, allowing three hits, four walks, and one hit batter.

The sweeper will always be Kerkering’s best weapon. But he credits his emerging sinker for his effectiveness.

“It’s elevated a lot recently,” he said. “That’s what’s really helped me through this stretch where it’s like I think I get more ground balls.”

For the second time in four starts, Andrew Painter walked four batters in a start for triple-A Lehigh Valley. Thomson said the reports indicated that Painter struggled with his release point.

But Painter also allowed only two runs in five innings. The 22-year-old top prospect has a 4.25 ERA in 36 innings over eight starts.

“The poise is very good,” Thomson said. “The composure is very good. If he stays healthy and he’s pitching well, then he deserves to be here.”

Team officials continue to believe Painter will be ready for his major league debut at some point after the All-Star break.