The Phillies’ Bullpen is Still an Issue
The Philadelphia Phillies entered the offseason with a few glaring holes. Starting pitching, which was partly solved with the signing of Zack Wheeler.
Infield help, which was boosted by Didi Gregorius and moving Scott Kingery to the infield on a full-time basis. Joe Girardi filled the managerial opening and will have a big impact on the Phillies.
And then there’s the bullpen, which was solved by no one.
It’s no lie that the bullpen was one of the biggest issues for the Phillies in 2019. While General Manager Matt Klentak tried to fix the pen before last year, especially with the signing of David Robertson, injuries decimated the relief corps.
Robertson went down for the season with an elbow injury and is most likely not going to play this season either. Seranthony Dominguez went down early, while Adam Morgan, Victor Arano, and Pat Neshek all spent time on the Injured List.
Needless to say, it’s a big question if everyone is going to stay healthy this year. Yet Klentak and company have stood by silently as the top relievers signed elsewhere, many with National League East rivals.
Will Smith signed with the Atlanta Braves. Will Harris and Daniel Hudson are in Washington. Dellin Betances, one of the top relievers in the game before an injury-riddled 2019, signed with the New York Mets.
Blake Treinen, Steve Cishek, Jake Diekman. All signed elsewhere, and it seems like the Phillies did not make any real pursuit of them.
Part of the problem is the Phillies are a few million dollars under the luxury tax threshold and only want to go over it if it gives them a much better shot at a World Series. Do any of those relievers guarantee a championship? No, they don’t. But do they put the Phillies in a much better position to get there? Yes, they certainly do.
The fine for going over the threshold the first time is 20% of the overage. So a slight overage for the Phillies is not a big deal. If they go over it in future years, the fine increases, but is still based on the overage. Again, it’s easy to manipulate, especially with money coming off the books in a season or two, and certainly worth it for the Phillies to keep up with the Joneses in the NL East.
Now, the Phillies will most likely be in the thick of things leading up to the All-Star break and trade deadline. If a team is dangling a big-name receiver, Klentak needs to pounce on it to solidify the bullpen.
Missing the playoffs is not an option this season, and the bullpen cannot be the reason the Phillies miss the playoffs.
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