Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
How will the Phillies Tackle Their Massive Problems in the Bullpen This Fall?
Any baseball fan understands the importance of a strong bullpen, especially come playoff time. Teams with bullpens that can dominate have the ability to put less pressure on starting pitchers and make decisions easier for the team’s manager.
The Philadelphia Phillies made several bullpen moves last season, and few of those moves panned out the way the team would have liked. The Phillies have one of the least reliable bullpens in Major League Baseball, and that is something the team is sure to address in the offseason.
One of the bullpen acquisitions for the Phillies this season was Jose Alvarado. Despite Alvarado’s 7-1 record as a relief pitcher, he has a 4.05 ERA and a 1.613 WHIP which is much higher than the team average of 1.293. He also leads the team in walks with 47 express passes to first base, which puts a question mark on his pitch control.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Archie Bradley also joined the Phillies this season and while he is not the most dominant pitcher, he has not been a detriment to the team by any means. He has a 7-3 record in his 53 appearances with an ERA of 3.71 which is way below the team’s average of 4.41. Bradley has produced nowhere near to his former abilities, but clearly is one of the brighter spots of the bullpen. It is important to note that Bradley will be a free agent after this season and may not even be on the Phillies next year.
Ian Kennedy was a mid-season acquisition for the Phillies, and has a 3-1 record with an impressive 10 saves through his 21 appearances. On the other hand, however, Kennedy has given up seven homers in his short stint in Philadelphia with a 4.50 ERA. Similarly to Bradley, Kennedy will also be a free agent after this season and likely won’t return to the team.
It is no secret that the production from the bullpen needs to increase next season if the Phillies want to contend for a World Series title. Fortunately, there are countless options in the free agent market this winter and the Phillies will have a chance to get some really strong pitchers to fill their bullpen in the hopes of dominating the late innings in big games.
If President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski intends on going for a big splash name and spending some big bucks for a quality relief pitcher, look no further than Kenley Jansen, Raisel Iglesias, or Daniel Hudson. Each of these guys would cost much more than the traditional price of a relief pitcher, but their production for the organization could be the difference between a good team and a great one.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Here are their numbers from the 2021 season:
Kenley Jansen: 2.30 ERA / 36 Saves / 1.080 WHIP
Raisel Iglesias: 2.69 ERA / 33 Saves / 0.940 WHIP
Daniel Hudson: 3.26 ERA / 72 strikeouts in 49.2 innings / 1.087 WHIP
The Phillies should consider going in the direction of one of these three guys, and follow it up with a much less expensive but dependable reliever as well. Pitchers like Kirby Yates, Andrew Chafin, and Sergio Romo will be available for the taking.
There are practically endless directions for the Phillies to go with their bullpen in free agency. With Archie Bradley, Ian Kennedy, and Hector Neris all being free agents by the end of this season, the bullpen could have a very different look to it for the 2022 season.
We already know what kind of production the current bullpen has given the team, and it is clear that multiple improvements can be made. The biggest problem that Dombrowski and the Phillies will have this off-season is deciding which areas of the team need the most improvement, and how much money they want to spend at each position. The bullpen should certainly be close to the very top of that list.
