Phillies should skip starters, complete bullpen instead
By Koy Zdimal
Kelvin Herrera
Kelvin Herrera is another underrated relief option and is one of my personal favorites. The 28-year-old is a two-time All-Star who served an elite seven-year tenure in Kansas City.
Herrera has four seasons where he appeared in 70 or more games and posted ERA’s of the following: 2.35, 1.41, 2.71 and 2.75. Herrera tallied 10 wins above replacement for the Royals and was a key contributor to the team’s 2015 World Series title.
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Herrera was used in a variety of different ways while he was a member of what was one of the best bullpens in baseball. His ability to be used as a middle relief guy or a closer is a skill set that would be deeply appreciated with Gabe Kapler’s managerial style.
2017 was a tough year for Herrera. While he did convert 26 of 31 save opportunities he posted a career-worst 4.25 ERA and 1.31 WHIP.
Herrera’s 8.9 K/9 was solid as was his 22% swinging strike rate, but it was still a low point for the right hander.
In a contract year, Herrera certainly stepped up his performance. He pitched 27 of his 48 2018 games in Royals blue and was dominant in all of them. Herrera cruised through with a 1.05 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. This heated up his trade market when he was eventually sent to Washington where he faced a few more setbacks.
Herrera has not been heavily reported to be on the Phillies radar. However, there is still a lot that could happen this offseason and Herrera would be a great add. Plus, there is no limit on how many Herreras you can have in the club house, but with the potential this offseason has he could wind up being the only one.