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Predicting the Makeup of the Phillies Bullpen in 2022
With the Phillies missing the playoffs for yet another season after last night’s loss to the Atlanta Braves, it’s time for Dave Dombrowksi to prepare for 2022. The Phillies bullpen has been one of the biggest downfalls of the team for years now, and changes need to be made for the playoff curse to end.
With roster size expanding from 25 to 26 players starting in 2020, generally 13 pitchers are carried at one time by Major League teams. Five of those are starting pitchers, leaving about eight slots for the bullpen. Rosters also expand to 28 players in September and through the postseason, but for the purpose of this piece, we’re going to stick with the projected bullpen for 2022 Opening Day.
Let’s take a look:
LHP José Alvarado
Alvarado was acquired by the Phillies last offseason, and he will be back in the bullpen next year. Pitching in 63 games, Alvarado has a 7-1 record while striking out 10.9 batters per nine innings pitched. Despite those strong numbers, he has compiled a 4.28 ERA with a WHIP of 1.610. He walked 47 batters in just 54.2 innings pitched. His pitch control will remain in question heading into next season, but with some work he can be a reliable seventh inning lefty for the Phillies.
RHP Connor Brogdon
Brogdon has pitched in 65 career games, and 56 of those came this season alone. His 3.43 ERA and 1.127 WHIP show that he can be a more or less reliable arm for the bullpen. He is 26, but his inexperience in the majors tells me there is still some room for improvement and he could come back even stronger next season. Brogdon’s fastball consistently comes in at 96-97 MPH, but his average changeup and his under-utilized cutter are two things for him to improve on for next season.
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RHP Sam Coonrod
Coonrod’s number one pitch is his high 90s sinker. When on, his arsenal can be absolutely devastating for his opponents but he still had an ERA above 4 and a WHIP of 1.323 this season. He may not quite be reliable enough for the late innings in close games, but he should get a lot of pitching time next season and be used in multiple scenarios similar to how he was used this season.
LHP Bailey Falter
Falter is a predominantly two-pitch mix guy with a low 90s fastball and a slider. Many of Falter’s strikeouts come via the high fastball. That can be scary considering his fastball velocity is below average, but he did collect 34 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched this season. Falter’s 5.12 ERA will need a serious drop to keep him in the majors, but the Phillies will likely want to keep him in their pen because he is a lefty arm and the team could use him especially in favorable lefty vs lefty situations.
RHP Archie Bradley
Bradley was another acquisition the Phillies made last offseason. He will be a free agent this fall, but the Phillies should be able to bring him back no problem. Bradley certainly had a down year compared to what he has accomplished in previous seasons, and also has missed some time with injuries. But what we have seen, however, is how reliable he can be. And it is safe to assume that he will be back to his old form next season.
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His arsenal consists of a 4-seam, sinker, curveball, and changeup which can both hurt and help. The more he can keep the batter guessing, the better. However, it is important he strays away from getting ‘too cute’ and using his variety of pitches just because he has them. Finding that happy medium will get him back to his old ways and make him a key piece for the Phillies in close game situations.
RHP Héctor Neris
Another player that will be a free agent this fall is Héctor Neris. Neris may not be the most desirable option for the Phillies, but the bottom line is that he has shown some strong flashes and he has pitched with the team for years. Neris is a high strikeout guy that basically only throws different variations of the fastball. His splitter, 4 seam, and sinker make up 96.6% of his pitches, while he throws the occasional slider to make up the last 3.4% (according to Baseball Savant.)
What you see is what you get with Neris, his numbers this season are very similar to that of his career stats. In 2021, he pitched 71.2 innings with a 3.52 ERA, 1.158 WHIP, and a dominant 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.
LHP Andrew Chafin
There are two big moves the Phillies could and should make in free agency for the bullpen this off-season, and acquiring Andrew Chafin is one of them. Chafin would be an enormous acquisition for the team, and would be a major factor for close game situations. His impressive 1.83 ERA through 71 games isn’t even the biggest upside for him. He has posted a 0.932 WHIP up to this point in the season, meaning he allows less than one base runner per inning pitched.
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His sinker, 4-seam, slider combination is lethal as he uses the sinker and 4-seam to set up his wipeout slider for strikeouts. Of every potential signing the Phillies could make to sharpen their pitching staff, Chafin should be at the very top of the list, and they should do whatever it takes to lock him up for 2022.
RHP Raisel Iglesias
It is safe to say that acquiring both Chafin and Iglesias is a little ambitious, but that is the kind of guy Dombrowski is. Clearly, the bullpen needs major improvements if the Phillies intend on being World Series contenders next season. Getting someone like Raisel would be paramount to keep them in contention, and Dombrowski should be willing to spend the money to make it happen.
Iglesias is a dominant closer in the game, and would be a major ninth inning guy for the Phillies in close games. He has posted a 2.65 ERA with a 0.926 WHIP this season while striking out 13.4 batters per nine. He is prone to giving up the long ball at times, but shows great command and poise on the mound. The anomaly with Iglesias is that he does not have a go-to strikeout pitch. He has a healthy distribution of strikeouts with his fastball, slider, and changeup with high whiff rates for all three pitches.
If Iglesias does come to Philly, his impact will be immediately evident and the Phillies have been desperate for reliable late-inning arms like him.
It has been clear for a few years now, the Phillies bullpen needs improvements. They tried to make some moves last offseason, but never went for the dominant big name guys. Iglesias and Chafin could be the acquisitions that help ease some tensions towards the end of games. With Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, and Rhys Hoskins all in their primes, the time to strike is now. Phillies fans are sick of the playoff drought and we should expect Dombrowski to make some big moves with the team this offseason.
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