Phillies: 5 questions that remain unanswered this season
The Phillies have learned a lot this year, but there are a couple questions remaining
Entering the 2018 season the Phillies had questions surrounding Aaron Nola, Rhys Hoskins, and Gabe Kapler. Most of those questions have been answered, but new ones have emerged that we’re still trying to figure out.
Here are five the organization needs to figure out by the end of the season going into the winter meetings.
Do the Phillies have enough starters?
People who haven’t followed the Phillies closely thought they’d need to add another starter at the trade deadline. On paper that would make sense with little-known names following Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta.
Vince Velasquez, Nick Pivetta, and Zach Eflin have held down the fort, and while they aren’t the Halladay/Lee/Hamels/Oswalt rotation, they’ve been serviceable, and in some cases outstanding.
The three backend starters have each had stretches where they’ve been untouchable, then they hit a wall that brings back the question of whether another veteran is needed.
Philadelphia’s depth in Triple-A is also encouraging with prospects Enyel De Los Santos, Ranger Suarez, and Cole Irvin ready and able to perform. Further down the line Philadelphia hopes Sixto Sanchez and Adonis Medina deadline the rotation for a decade.
But the team is ready to win now, and the front office needs to find out which of the three major league starters is ready to be more than serviceable. Patrick Corbin, Dallas Kuechel, and J.A. Happ are a few of the free agents this offseason, and the Phillies have enough prospects to pull off a trade.
What’s happening with Scott Kingery?
The Phillies decided to #BeBold by signing top second base prospect Scott Kingery to a six-year deal before he played a Major League game. The plan for Kingery was for him to play across the diamond and contribute on an everyday basis, but he’s done little to none of that.
While Kingery has played in 108 games he’s hitting an abysmal .223 with 99 strikeouts this season. He’s only played his original position four times and has been stuck at shortstop for nearly the entire season.
Many think Kingery simply wasn’t ready to play in the major leagues and others point to the constant shifting of positions. Whatever it is, it’s a major issue for the organization.
Would Kingery be hitting .280 if he were playing second base every day? To find that out the organization would have to move Cesar Hernandez, who leads all second baseman in walks and times on base and is second in on-base percentage and runs scored.
That would be a major gamble for Philadelphia considering Hernandez is only 28 and under team control through the 2020 season. There are still questions surrounding whether J.P. Crawford can play shortstop all season, and mixed with that are the prospects of signing Manny Machado this offseason.
It’s perhaps the biggest issue facing this organization on the field and it’s one they have little time to figure out.
Is Carlos Santana worth it?
Signing Carlos Santana to a three-year $60 million deal came as a big surprise to many, but the Phillies saw hidden value in the veteran first baseman. Fast-forward to August and it’s been a mixed bag from the 32-year-old with a batting average below .220, and some are questioning the signing.
Philadelphia owes Santana more than $41 million over the next two seasons plus a club option for 2021 that comes with a $500,000 buyout.
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Is Santana really worth that? He’s hitting .219 with 17 home runs, 64 RBI, and 87 walks. The walks an on-base percentage are what drew the Phillies to Santana but even those haven’t come as a great benefit.
Since July 1 he’s walked 25 times and struck out 23 while hitting .210 with three home runs.
It’s likely impossible the Phillies find a team willing to take two guaranteed years of Santana, even if the Phillies fork over most of the salary.
If Santana blocks Rhys Hoskins from playing first base, it could prevent the Phillies from upgrading their offense by adding Bryce Harper or another outfield bat.
Is Nick Williams the real deal?
Since taking over in right field Nick Williams has quietly been one of the Phillies most consistent hitters. Since June 1 he’s hitting .265 with 10 home runs, and since July 1 he’s hitting nearly .300 for Philadelphia.
It’s an upgrade over what Aaron Altherr provided at the plate, but the Phillies clearly weren’t satisfied considering they attempted an Adam Jones trade before the deadline.
If Hoskins remains in left field next year the Phillies would be left with right field to evaluate as a potential upgrade. Bryce Harper is the obvious name to watch for in free agency along with two players the Phillies reportedly targeted at the trade deadline, Jones and Andrew McCutchen.
Finding out who Williams can be for this team is a major storyline for the remainder of the season. If he can hit .280 with 20 home runs on a consistent basis the Phillies will gladly take that production from a middle of the lineup bat. If Williams falls off and looks like a fourth outfielder, then the Phillies could go with a veteran upgrade while they wait for prospect Adam Haseley to rise through the minors.
Who from the bullpen is a long-term option?
Despite collapses throughout the season, the bullpen has been sneaky good with a 4.08 runs per game, seventh in baseball. They’ve saved 71% of their save opportunities (7th), allowed 28% of inherited runners to score (7th) and have used relief pitchers in multiple innings in 104 games, the 10th most in baseball.
Philadelphia Phillies
Every member of the bullpen is signed through next season, whether it be through their rookie deals or a veteran contract.
Eight relievers on the Phillies 40-man roster have appeared in more than 25 games, including current IronPigs Hector Neris and Yacksel Rios. Pat Neshek has been nearly perfect since returning from a lengthy stint on the disabled list, touting a 0.73 ERA in 14 outings.
Victor Arano has also been a quality arm with a 2.06 ERA in 41 appearances.
Seranthony Dominguez can’t be forgotten, though his splits when pitching in back to back games could be. He has an ERA of 9.82 in nine games coming off no days rest compared to a 1.20 ERA in 12 games after one day of rest.
Being a former starter the split makes some sense, but if Dominguez is the long-term closer the Phillies need to find a way to bring that no-rest ERA down.
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The group of Dominguez, Arano, and Neshek is solid, though Neshek turns 38 next month. If Neris finds himself in Lehigh Valley and Austin Davis emerges as a left-handed specialist, the bullpen could be set.