The Phillies’ season got here to a crushing finish final night time. The NL East champs had been bounced by the division rival Mets. It was the second straight yr during which their playoff outcomes have taken a step again. Philadelphia went from the 2022 NL pennant to final yr’s NLCS look to the Division Sequence.
Matt Gelb of the Athletic seems forward to the offseason in a chunk that’ll be of curiosity to Philadelphia followers. Gelb writes that Philadelphia is probably going to herald an outfielder through free company or commerce through the offseason. The Phils moved Bryce Harper into first base, leaving them with a major outfield of Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas and Nick Castellanos. That’s a comparatively weak outfield for a contender.
Castellanos’ .254/.311/.431 slash isn’t sufficient to make up for his lack of defensive worth. It’s the alternative story with Rojas. He’s an elite runner and plus defender in middle area however hasn’t supplied a lot on the plate. The second-year participant hit .243/.279/.322 throughout 363 journeys. Marsh was Philadelphia’s best outfielder, hitting 16 dwelling runs with a .249/.328/.419 batting line. The lefty-hitting Marsh has but to reveal he’s greater than a strong-side platoon bat although. He hit .192 in 90 plate appearances towards southpaws this season. He’s a profession .216/.276/.306 hitter versus lefty pitching.
The Phils acquired Austin Hays in a buy-low deadline pickup. Philadelphia projected Hays as at worst a right-handed platoon accomplice for Marsh in left area. Hays spent most of his Phillies tenure on the injured record and didn’t produce in restricted taking part in time. He hit .256/.275/.397 with 19 strikeouts and no walks in 80 plate appearances after the commerce.
MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz tasks Hays for a $6.4MM wage in his last season of arbitration. He’s more likely to be non-tendered. The Phils might persist with utility participant Weston Wilson as a platoon accomplice with Marsh. The opposite outfield spots are areas for potential enchancment, although neither is with out problems.
Kyle Schwarber blocks Castallenos from getting substantial time at designated hitter. There are nonetheless two seasons remaining at $20MM yearly on Castellanos’ five-year free agent deal. The $40MM in ensures is nicely above his market worth. Philadelphia would wish to eat a piece of the contract to facilitate a commerce — more likely to a crew that might play him at DH. They wouldn’t get a lot again even when they paid the deal down, which might go away the Phils to stay with Castellanos in proper.
Upgrading in middle area may very well be much more difficult. This winter’s free agent class is extraordinarily skinny. Barring a shock Cody Bellinger opt-out, the very best free agent middle fielders out there embrace Harrison Bader and Michael A. Taylor. They’re at greatest marginal upgrades on Rojas. There aren’t many clear options on the commerce market both. Leody Taveras and Jose Siri present related glove-first profiles. The Cubs might attempt to offload a part of Bellinger’s two-year, $50MM assure if he opts in as most count on.
If the Phillies had been unable to maneuver Castellanos however needed a transparent outfield improve, that opens the opportunity of flipping one among their different outfielders. Gelb floats the concept of both Marsh or Rojas turning into an offseason commerce candidate. Rojas has 5 years of membership management and is 2 seasons from arbitration. Marsh is projected for a $3MM wage in his first of three arbitration years.
A Marsh commerce would no less than open the likelihood for the Phils to make a splash in left area. They’d face an uphill battle from groups just like the Yankees, Mets and Giants on Juan Soto — although proprietor John Middleton and Dave Dombrowski’s entrance workplace have by no means shied away from making runs at superstars. Gamers like Anthony Santander or Teoscar Hernández may very well be in play if Soto isn’t sensible. The Phillies might theoretically play Marsh in middle area in the event that they had been to commerce Rojas and signal a much bigger bat to play left. That’d undertaking as a really weak defensive grouping.
After the outfield, the bullpen is the next-biggest query. Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez are two of the highest relievers within the upcoming free agent class. Wednesday was a bitter ending for each pitchers. Hoffman loaded the bases on a single, hit-by-pitch and stroll. Estévez entered and surrendered the Francisco Lindor grand slam that proved to be the nail within the coffin. But the powerful end doesn’t negate the significance of Hoffman and Estévez down the stretch. The righties had been two of the three highest-leverage arms (alongside Matt Strahm) in Rob Thomson’s bullpen.
Even with each pitchers coming into their age-32 seasons, they’re on monitor for important multi-year offers. MLBTR’s Steve Adams coated Hoffman’s emergence for Entrance Workplace subscribers final month, writing {that a} four-year contract may very well be on the desk. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel urged earlier this week that Estévez has a shot at 4 years in his personal proper. Even when the reduction market isn’t fairly that sturdy, each pitchers have a case for a three-year pact round $10-12MM yearly.
Postgame, each pitchers expressed some hope they’d be again with the Phils. “Hopefully. That can be nice, however let’s see. You know the way it’s,” Estévez stated of a possible return (through Gelb). Hoffman was a bit extra emphatic. “Yeah, that’s all I would like,” he instructed reporters (together with Todd Zolecki of MLB.com) about staying in Philly. “But it surely’s arduous to consider proper now.”
Main roster selections will watch for the official begin of the offseason in a number of weeks. A extra speedy query could also be on the teaching workers. USA At this time’s Bob Nightengale tweeted on Thursday that the Phils are set for analysis conferences to find out whether or not to make any teaching modifications. The Phillies signed Thomson to a one-year extension final December, so he’s below contract by means of subsequent season.
