Five non-tendered free agents for Phillies to consider

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA – AUGUST 27: Hunter Strickland #60 of the San Francisco Giants points to catcher Nick Hundley #5 after they beat the Arizona Diamondbacks at AT&T Park on August 27, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Friday’s contract tender deadline came and went, putting some intriguing names on the market. Should the Phillies be interested in any of them?

Friday at 8 p.m. was the deadline for the Phillies and the other 29 major-league teams to tender contracts to all their arbitration-eligible players. These deals are non-guaranteed, so teams aren’t locked into the deals that they tender. Even with that stipulation, there are still some players teams decide not to tender contracts to.

The Phillies opted not to tender contracts to first baseman Justin Bour and relief pitcher Luis Avilan, two of their 11 arbitration-eligible players. Both were acquired in August waiver trades to help with the playoff push, but all the trades the team made were not enough to push them over the hump. Considering the construction of the roster, it simply was not worth it for the team to offer contracts to both, making them free agents.

Even though certain teams may decide that one player is not worth keeping on the roster, that does not mean every single team will. To use a cliche, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. A player not tendered a contract by his old team could very well find a role with his new team without much trouble. Keep in mind a player non-tendered by his old team cannot be re-signed by them during the same offseason.

With that now in mind, let’s break down five non-tendered free agents for the Phillies to consider bringing in this offseason.

Billy Hamilton

Billy Hamilton made waves when he entered the league back in 2013 for his breakneck speed on the basepaths and in center field. He became the speedster other players dreamed of catching. Few can rival his base-stealing ability.

Given all this, it was a surprise that Hamilton was not tendered a deal by the Reds. Jayson Stark of the Athletic pointed out that the Reds ownership axed multiple trades for Hamilton over the last few years. Now they got nothing for him.

Hamilton’s key flaw that likely led to not being tendered his offensive inability. His highest OPS in a full major-league season was .664 in 2016; his highest OPS+ was 81 in his rookie 2014 season. He finished 2018 with a .236/.299/.327 line, 8.3% walk rate, 23.7% strikeout rate, and 68 OPS+ in 153 games.

While Hamilton may not provide great value at the plate, he is strong in other aspects of the game. He stole 34 bases in 44 opportunities in 2018 and is 277-for-340 in his career. His defense is strong with 51 defensive runs saved and a 10.9 UZR/150 in his career in the outfield.

Both of Hamilton’s strong suits are areas where the Phillies struggled. The team’s defensive struggles have been beaten to death since the final out of the season. They ranked 23rd in the league with only 69 stolen bases in 2018. Hamilton would help improve the team in both areas.

Given Hamilton’s offensive deficiencies, it’s unlikely he would start full-time anywhere, especially in Philadelphia where the outfield is already crowded enough. However, he could prosper in a reserve role as Gabe Kapler’s main pinch-runner/defensive replacement.

Shelby Miller

Shelby Miller’s career trajectory has been an unusual one. He started off his career finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2013 with the Cardinals. In the 2014-15 offseason, he was traded to the Braves as a part of the Jason Heyward deal. A year later, he was sent to the Diamondbacks in a trade that later became infamous.

Why did that deal become so infamous? Atlanta received Ender Inciarte and the 2015 No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson. Those two are now part of Atlanta’s young core who just helped the team win the first of what could be several division titles.

Meanwhile, Miller started off his Arizona career well despite leading the league in losses, posting a 3.02 ERA, 1.247 WHIP, and 7.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio as he was named an All-Star. Things quickly deteriorated from there as his ERA ballooned to 6.15 in 2016, which led to a midseason demotion.

Miller lasted just four starts in 2017 season as he suffered an elbow tear, leading to Tommy John surgery. He returned for only a few starts this year before hitting the disabled list again with elbow inflammation. With a $4.9 million projected salary for 2019, Arizona decided to spare themselves a headache.

With all the background information given, why should the Phillies have any interest in Miller? In fairness, this would make more sense if we were heading into the 2016 or 2017 season with the rotation far less defined. Those years, signing a reclamation project like Miller might be worth the gamble.

Despite this, even with the rotation clogged up, Miller may be worth taking a flier on for spring training. Given his injury history, it’s hard to see a team offering him a guaranteed contract. On the other hand, he is worth taking a shot on for a minor-league deal if he accepts one.

Brad Boxberger

Brad Boxberger is another pitcher non-tendered Diamondback who could be a worthwhile signing this offseason. Relief pitcher is the ultimate boom or bust position, as Boxberger as shown throughout his career.

Boxberger made his major-league debut as a Padre in 2012 after being traded to them by the Reds, who drafted him with the No. 43 overall pick in 2009. He posted a good ERA but so-so fielding-independent pitching in two seasons, being traded to the Rays prior to the 2014 season.

Boxberger shined in 2014, posting a 2.37 ERA, 2.84 FIP, and 14.5 strikeouts per nine innings. The next year, he led the league with 41 saves and was named an All-Star. The 2016 and 2017 seasons were stunted by injury as Boxberger dealt with an oblique injury and right flexor strain.

Boxberger was traded to the Diamondbacks for Curtis Taylor, Arizona’s 2016 fourth-round pick who became a reliever in Tampa’s system. Boxberger was strong early with a 2.11 ERA in his first 23 appearances. He struggled from then on with a 5.91 ERA from June 6 until the end of the year.

Boxberger’s biggest issue, as it has been for large parts of his career, was his control. He walked 5.4 batters per nine innings, 13.6% of the hitters he faced. Even at its best, Boxberger’s walk rate remained above average.

While Boxberger has never been known for his command, if he can rein it in just a tad, he can be effective on the mound. The Phillies should make some improvements to the bullpen for next year. Although Boxberger should not be counted on as the one to make that change, he could wind up being a bargain if he can regain some of his 2014-15 form.

Hunter Strickland

Hunter Strickland was one of the bigger surprises to see non-tendered. He was only projected to make $2.5 million this offseason, but with the Giants needing all the salary space they can get, Strickland was a casualty. He should be one of the more attractive non-tendered free agents this offseason.

The Giants picked up Strickland off waivers from the Pirates just before the 2013 season. Since then, he has developed into a strong reliever in San Francisco. Over five seasons, Strickland has a 2.91 ERA, 3.40 fielding-independent pitching, 1.195 WHIP, and 2.67 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Blake Parker

Blake Parker started off his career rather inconspicuously. He started off as a Cub for a couple years before electing free agency at the end of the 2015 season. Parker split the 2016 season between the Mariners and Yankees.

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Parker had zero clue where he was going to spend the 2017 season. He was designated for assignment by the Yankees, claimed by the Angels, DFAd again, claimed by the Brewers, DFAd yet again, claimed again by the Angels, DFAd for the fourth time before finally being outrighted to Triple-A with an invite to spring training.

Parker had something to prove in 2017 after being bounced around so many times. That year, he made 71 relief appearances, recording a 2.54 ERA, 2.71 FIP, and 1.8 Baseball-Reference wins above replacement. He struck out 33.9% of opposing hitters while walking only 6.3%.

2018 was a bit of a step back for Parker, finishing the year with a 3.26 ERA, 4.40 FIP, and 1.24 WHIP. His strikeout rate fell from 25.4%, although that is still a significantly high rate. He gave up 12 home runs in 66.1 innings, far more fly balls than the two years prior.

The Angels opted not to tender Parker a contract despite being just one year removed from that breakout year. He was only projected to make $3.1 million, not a terrible salary for a reliever, especially one with such high upside.

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Given the kind of year Parker had in 2017, teams will be interested in him, hoping that season wasn’t just a flash in the pan. As with the previous two players, he could help out a Phillies bullpen that still needs some work before the 2019 season begins.

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