Rob Thomson Isn't Worried About Philadelphia Phillies Bullpen Despite Alarming Start

The Philadelphia Phillies have a major problem on their hands.

Entering play Monday, their bullpen has the second-highest ERA (5.81) in Major League Baseball, which doesn't suggest this is a unit that can get high-leverage outs in the playoffs. They also have six blown saves, the most out of any team, calling into question how they can get an important game to the finish line with them in the winner's circle.

Some of this could have been expected.

The Phillies let both Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez walk in free agency, two players who became important pieces of the relief staff.

In their place, Dave Dombrowski opted to take a risk on Jordan Romano and Joe Ross, both players who are having a hard time finding their footing in the early going.

But not everyone is worried about this alarming start.

"I don't," manager Rob Thomson said, per Paul Casella of MLB.com when asked if he thinks the team has a bullpen issue. "Because it's still a small sample size. I know we have really good arms, really good stuff out there. We've just got to keep working at it, keep grinding through it."

Whether that's blind optimism or he truly believes that, it's hard to agree with the skipper.

Thomson made that statement before Sunday's finale against the Miami Marlins that saw Orion Kerkering, one of Philadelphia's few reliable relievers right now, give up a three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning that was a key moment in their loss.

The Phillies now have just two relievers with sub-3.00 ERAs -- Tanner Banks is right at that number but has not been used in high-leverage situations.

However, there is precedent to suggest Philadelphia could get things on track.

Casella notes that through 22 games last year, the bullpen had a 5.48 ERA, allowing three fewer earned runs during virtually the same number of innings pitched compared to this campaign. Then after that, they put up a 2.13 ERA in the month of May -- the best in the MLB -- and finished the regular season top 10 in ERA.

Can that happen for this group?

It seems unlikely.

Romano looks like a shell of himself, Joe Ross is a wild card, Jose Ruiz is having the worst showing of his career and Carlos Hernandez seems like another swing-and-miss addition.

Some help could be on the way ahead of the trade deadline, and the unit will get a shakeup when Ranger Suarez returns from the injured list that will push Taijuan Walker into the bullpen.

But despite Thomson not being worried about his relief staff, there isn't a ton to be optimistic about right now.

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