Phillies outfielder David Dahl, 30, revived his career, thanks to a mental skills coach

David Dahl is 30 years old. The Phillies are the seventh organization he’s played for. He’s been designated for assignment three times and has been placed on the injured list eight times since making his big league debut in 2016.

This not the career path the outfielder envisioned for himself, especially given how it started. Dahl was the 10th overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft. He made his debut with the Colorado Rockies by age 22, and was an All-Star by age 25. He hit .297/.346/.521 over his first three big league seasons.

But in 2020, things changed. He played just 24 games and underwent right shoulder surgery in September. He signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent but didn’t feel fully ready to return to the field.

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He tried to play through his shoulder ailments, but with little success. The outfielder hit .210/.247/.322 with 59 strikeouts through 63 games in 2021. He kept grinding because he felt like he had to prove his worth, but the harder he tried, the worse the results were.

He began to stay home more than he had in the past because he worried about people approaching him in public.

“We wouldn’t go out to eat,” Dahl said. “I didn’t want to go anywhere. I thought everyone would be like, ‘This guy [stinks].’

“But it was just in my head. It was hard, because this was my whole life, and I’d never been bad on the field. I’d always performed. So it was just something that I wasn’t used to and didn’t handle very well.”

The Rangers released Dahl in August 2021. That’s when he decided to work with a mental skills coach. It was a new experience for him. He’d never talked to a mental health professional with any regularity and it took him a while to open up, but he believes it has helped his career.

“I think I just held everything in,” Dahl said. “And, so it just built up. It was the pressure of wanting to show everyone I was that kind of player, and that wasn’t a fluke. And then the injuries kind of piled up. It was a rough go for a while there. So it definitely helped me get past it and just kind of have a reset, get back to playing a kids’ game for a living, and loving the game.”

In 2024, Dahl has stopped over-tinkering and overthinking. When the Phillies signed him a to a minor-league contract in February, he went in with an open mind, knowing their big league team had a packed outfield.

He kept his head down and hit .340/.416/.660 with triple-A Lehigh Valley, with a 1.076 OPS and 12 home runs. The Phillies called him up on Monday afternoon, and he immediately felt at home.

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His teammates were a big reason why. Dahl was called up because outfielder Brandon Marsh was placed on the 10-day injured list on Monday, with a right hamstring strain.

Despite his injury, Marsh was the first player to greet Dahl when he arrived in Philadelphia.

“Marshy was like dapping me up, saying I belong here, all this stuff,” Dahl said. “Saying, ‘Dude, you deserve this.’ It was really cool.”

After Dahl hit his solo home run on Monday night, the Phillies left fielder was waiting for him in the dugout.

“I got the hit and Marsh was in here telling me to do the shimmy,” Dahl said. “It was great. I see why they win so much. They’re just a great group. They all care for each other.”

The veteran outfielder is grateful for his path. He is still working with his mental skills coach, and feels better equipped for the challenges the game has thrown his way. Last year, when Dahl went 0-for-33 with the Dodgers’ triple-A affiliate, he found himself adding toe taps and hand pumps to his setup and swing.

Those days are over. He has leaned on his coach and on his wife, Jacquelyn, when he feels himself overthinking. He has learned to trust himself and his ability.

“I think the mental skills coach has helped a lot,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of injuries in the past, and now I’m not thinking, ‘Oh, what if I get injured’ … you know? You get filled with some negative thoughts. There’s always that voice in your head. So, being able to block that out and just think positive and go play is good.

“There were a lot of expectations. And when it didn’t happen and I kind of fell off a little bit, it was tough mentally. So I had to figure out how to get out of that and just get back to being me and playing every day, and having fun playing.”

Dahl added: “I just believe in myself again. I know I’m still a really good player.”

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Ranger Suárez, who is recovering from a bruised left thumb, played catch on Tuesday and will throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. The Phillies will know if he’ll make his next scheduled start based on how his session goes. … Manager Rob Thomson says the plan is still for Taijuan Walker to make his scheduled start on Sunday in London. When asked whether he needs to evaluate the No. 5 spot in his rotation, Thomson said: “We’re not there yet,” adding that he trusts Walker. … Luis Ortiz (left ankle sprain) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday. … Yunior Marte (right shoulder inflammation) will continue his rehab assignment with Lehigh Valley on Tuesday night. He’ll pitch one inning on Tuesday, one inning on Thursday, and two on Sunday.