Phillies utility man Andres Blanco is the only priority free agent for the Phillies this offseason
With no long-term deals binding the Phillies down for the foreseeable future, the have a lot of flexibility in free agency.
Currently, only seven players are listed by Spotrac to hit free agency. Those players are Jeremy Hellickson, A.J. Ellis, Andres Blanco, Peter Bourjos, David Hernandez, James Russell, and Emmanuel Burris.
Russell and Burris are not on the Phillies 40-man roster, and are not worth re-signing. Ellis was a rental to offset money and provide depth with the Carlos Ruiz trade. David Hernandez was a veteran in the bullpen who saw little time on the mound. We all know who Peter Bourjos is and never want to see him wearing a Phillies uniform ever again.
Jeremy Hellickson is an interesting case mainly because the team did not trade him, and reportedly plan to offer a first-round tender. The organization believes he will reject the offer, giving them another first round pick in next years MLB Draft.
That leaves us with utility man extraordinaire Andres Blanco. In his third season with the club, Blanco played in 90 games and missed several with a finger injury. He will turn 33-years old in April, but should be a priority to bring back.
Blanco would be the oldest player in the dugout, pending trades or free agent signings. A young locker room prone to losing needs a steady voice to keep the ship heading north, and Blanco is that guy.
Having Blanco play five positions in 2016 gives the Phillies flexibility with an uneven roster. Blanco filled in a lot of holes and gave players such as Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez, or Maikel Franco a day off if needed. He also was a great mentor to all three of those players, and will be needed going forward.
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Should the time come where Blanco is not needed on the roster, Klentak could trade him at the deadline to a playoff team needing a bat off the bench. He won’t fetch the farm, but any prospect is worth it at this point in Philadelphia.