Bullpen Blues: Current state of the pen as Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies remain quiet ahead of Spring Training
Outside of the Philadelphia Phillies re-signing Aaron Nola, they have been relatively quiet this winter and we’re now just a week away from the start of Spring Training.
Yesterday, I wrote about how Trevor Bauer should be on the Phillies’ radar to bolster their starting rotation and to put it lightly, that didn’t exactly go over too well.
Today, I want to focus on the Phillies bullpen and try to figure out why in the world Dave Dombrowski and the front office haven’t done much of anything to improve the arms that we witnessed fall short in the 2023 postseason.
That’s not to say last year’s bullpen was bad. In fact, it was actually pretty good…until it wasn’t.
The ‘pen ranked seventh overall in ERA (3.58) and third in WAR (6.8). After the season started and ultimately failed with Seranthony Dominguez as the closer, the Phillies gave Craig Kimbrel the nod and he dominated for the first half of the season, earning an All-Star bid before struggling in the second half of the year and completely sucking in the postseason.
Well, now Kimbrel is gone. He found a new home with the Baltimore Orioles this winter and the Phillies are faced yet again with uncertainty in the bullpen.
Regardless of the blown saves (and blown NLCS), Kimbrel was a workhorse for the Phillies. He tossed 69 innings and saved 23 games while striking out 94 batters on his way to a 3.26 ERA.
Right now, I haven’t seen the Phillies provide any type of player that can match that type of production.
MLB Network recently ranked Jose Alvarado the 10th best reliever in all of baseball. Alvarado tossed a career-best 1.74 ERA in 42 appearances last year and the Phillies will rely heavily on him again this season.
MLB Network: Jose Alvarado listed as No. 10 overall in MLB Bullpen Rankings
Dave Dombrowski and company are definitely banking on Seranthony Dominguez to have a bounce-back season after battling through injuries last year on his way to a dismal 5-5 record with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in 50 innings pitched.
From there, you have Gregory Soto and Jeff Hoffman who I do have faith in to perform at a high-level in 2024. I guess we can also consider Matt Strahm a part of that bunch as well.
From there, things get a little rough.
Right now, the depth chart shows Orion Kerkering, Dylan Covey, and Yunior Marte as the other arms on the depth chart. Apparently, Kerkering is the guy that the Phillies are eyeing to take the next step this season and slide into the closer role if they are unable to acquire someone before Opening Day.
Can’t say I like that.
I’m not doubting that Kerkering has the stuff to perform at the major league level and he was also thrusted into a very difficult call-up last postseason. That being said he did get absolutely shelled in the NLCS, facing 15 batters and only notching seven total outs.
If we enter the 2024 season with the current Phillies’ bullpen then hospitals across the Delaware Valley should be on high-alert for heart attacks all Summer long. The Phillies, dare I say desperately, need to add at least two more arms before Opening Day and according to reports, they are actively trying to do so but continue to fall short in getting a deal done.
Reminder to Phillies fans: No prospect is untouchable…most of the time?
According to Howard Eskin, Dave Dombrowski and the front office have been in contact with the Cleveland Guardians on trading for closer Emmanuel Clase. The problem, is that Cleveland wants prospect Justin Crawford in return and as of now, the Phillies are unwilling to include him in a deal.
If Cleveland wants Justin Crawford for Emmanuel Clase, personally I would consider that a no brainer.
Clase racked up 44 saves and struck out 64 batters in 72.2 innings pitched last year in Cleveland while posting a 3.22 ERA with a 1.156 WHIP.
Even while holding the “no prospect is untouchable” belief, it is worth noting that bullpen arms can be found at the deadline. There’s literally no reason to trade away a top prospect in an already depleted farm system for a reliever. That simply doesn’t happen and really, shouldn’t happen.
Regardless, I would still do it but I understand why there’s resistance on the other side of the aisle. I just can’t see entering the 2024 with a bullpen committee and not many options otherwise if things don’t pan out the way we hope things work in the ‘pen. Too many variables. Need to make something happen, Dave!
Do something, Dave. Please. For our health.
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