Philadelphia Phillies: Time To Make A Serious Move For Pitching
The Philadelphia Phillies were supposed to be where the Atlanta Braves are now. With Jake Arrieta and Bryce Harper leading both the pitching and offensive staff, this was to be their year. But what’s on papers don’t always translate to the field. The Phillies season is not officially over yet, but playing close to .500 is not acceptable. There need to be some changes made and it starts with the mound.
According to Geroge Stockburger of That Ball’s Outta Here, the Phillies will have options this offseason.
Five players, including Vargas, have club options for 2020: Corey Kluber, Julio Teheran, Chris Archer, Jose Quintana, and Vargas. Any of the four pitchers not already in Philadelphia would be some form of an upgrade over the current staff.
Each of those players can provide some relief to a staff with an ERA of .454. The Phillies were without a starter over 14 wins on the year. This offseason they must improve in that area. The offense will come around but the pitching is what win championships. Arrieta, Zach Eflin, and Aaron Nola should all return, but other than them, the Phillies must find quality arms.
Stockburger would also go on to mention other players the team should give an interest in:
Gerrit Cole and Madison Bumgarner figure to be the tier one free agents this offseason. Cole is a leading candidate to win the American League Cy Young after a 300 strikeout season in Houston, and Bumgarner has a history of dominance in the playoffs.
Dallas Keuchel (who the Phillies turned down last offseason), Hyun-Jin Ryu, Cole Hamels, and Zack Wheeler are other notable veterans on the free agent market. Ryu has a history of injuries, but he leads the National League with a 2.41 ERA this year. Hamels would be a decent number three on this team as a veteran who has been there and done that.
Now is the time the Philadephia Phillies should have their ears to the ground looking to make some changes. They can no longer accept mediocre seasons while paying so-called top-tier talents loads of money to regress. It doesn’t matter if it’s a trade or free-agent signing, they need to get some quality arms.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
