Two Pitchers Have 'Inside Track' For Philadelphia Phillies' Final Bullpen Spots
There is going to be a lot of attention on the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen this season.
That unit is the clear weak link compared to a lineup and starting rotation filled with star players.
After losing Craig Kimbrel to free agency, and eventually the Baltimore Orioles this offseason, there are some questions about who will own the closing role.
Phillies fans have also had a love-hate relationship with the bullpen for years.
In 2023, they put together a great season, ranking seventh in the MLB with a 3.58 ERA. That was the first time they've been inside the Top-15 of team reliever ERA since 2017.
With that in mind, the group is largely expected to be the same as last year.
Six of the eight spots are likely to be hold overs, with Jose Alvarado, Seranthony Dominguez, Jeff Hoffman, Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm and Gregory Soto locked into spots.
That leaves two open.
Much of the decision making will come down to how the pitchers in camp perform throughout Spring Training.
But Paul Casella of MLB.com believes there are two players who will get the nod to make the Opening Day roster.
"... returnees Connor Brogdon and Dylan Covey have the inside track for the other two," he writes.
Both players spent time pitching in the MLB with Philadelphia last year, and both spent time with the Triple-A affiliate.
Connor Brogdon has been part of the organization since being drafted in 2017. He made his debut in 2020 and has appeared in 139 games with a career ERA of 3.55 and ERA+ of 118.
It makes since why they would roll with a very capable reliever to start.
Dylan Covey was a waiver claim last year and put together the best season of his career with the Phillies.
Across 28 appearances, he posted a 3.69 ERA.
It will be interesting to see if he can continue building upon the success he found in Philadelphia last year and improve even more.
There are also some other options who will attempt to showcase what they can do in hopes of claiming an Opening Day spot of their own, but it seems like it will be Brogdon and Covey who fill out the bullpen to start the season.
