Phillies Season in Review: Seranthony Domínguez

Seranthony Domínguez returned in 2022 to lift the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen out of mediocrity.

Author:
Leo Morgenstern
Nov 25, 2022 11:00 AM EST

In this story:

In early June 2019, Seranthony Domínguez found himself on the injured list with elbow problems. He eventually needed Tommy John surgery, and he missed more than two years of action.

In the time he was gone, the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen became the laughingstock of baseball. They blew a league-worst 60 saves and allowed an NL-worst 196 home runs.

He returned at the very end of the 2021 season to pitch a single scoreless inning. It was a meaningless late-season game for the Phillies, but it was far from meaningless for Domínguez. It marked the end of his long journey back to Major League Baseball.

In 2022, he was back with a vengeance. From April to August, he made 46 appearances with a 1.64 ERA and 2.27 FIP. He struck out 54 batters and allowed just two home runs. By midseason, his velocity was back up to 98-99 mph and he was regularly touching 100 on the radar gun.

Domínguez landed on the IL with triceps tendonitis in mid-August, which was a major blow to Philadelphia's bullpen. He returned a few weeks later, but in retrospect it seems like the Phillies brought him back too soon. In eight September outings, he allowed as many home runs as he had in the five months of the season. He walked eight batters and allowed ten hits, and his fastball was missing a bit of its bite.

Thankfully, in the postseason, Domínguez returned to form. He made nine appearances and struck out 18 batters, walking only one. His sinker and four-seam fastball were back to their pre-injury velocity levels.

His dominant showing in the playoffs bodes well for 2023.

Final Grade: A-

When he was healthy, Seranthony Domínguez was one of the best relievers in baseball. The only thing holding him back from an "A" grade this season was his slow return from the injured list in September.