Phillies are adding a lefty reliever with a strong history in the regular season
The Phillies have claimed left-handed reliever Kevin Siegrist off of waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals. To make room for Siegrist on the 40-man roster the Phillies placed starting pitcher Jerad Eickhoff on the 60-day disabled list.
Eichoff left his last start with numbness in a finger on his pitching hand that will end his season. Eickhoff was the team’s home opening day starter but failed to reclaim his title of club workhorse in 2016.
In his second full season with Philadelphia Eickhoff went 4-8 with a 4.71 ERA in 24 starts over just 128 innings. Walks and a lack of run support were an issue throughout the season for the 27-year-old righty acquired in the Cole Hamels trade three years ago.
Siegrist is in his fifth major league season after being drafted in the 41st round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft from Palm Beach Community College in Lake Worth, FL by St. Louis.
In 269 relief appearances for the Cardinals, Siegrist has a 3.03 ERA and 279 strikeouts. After an outstanding 2016 season capped with an ERA under 3.00, Siegrist struggled for the Cardinals. A 4.98 ERA is his highest in four years, and only two years removed from leading baseball with 81 relief appearances.
The Phillies bullpen is tied for first in losses by a reliever with 30 this season and has undergone a massive overhaul in 2017. Closer Jeanmar Gomez was designated for assignment midseason and veterans Pat Neshek and Joaquin Benoit were traded at the July deadline.
Siegrist joins Adam Morgan as the only other southpaw in the Philadelphia bullpen while adding veteran experience to a team with an average age of 26.
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It’s a tremendous addition to the Phillies, who sit at the top of the waiver wire going into the final month of the season. Siegrist is a candidate for general manager Matt Klentak to re-sign this offseason as a leader in the bullpen.