Phillies: Previewing the bench for 2019
Major questions remain regarding the Phillies bench going into 2019
The 2019 offseason for the Phillies has been focused on Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, and to a much lesser extent the additions of David Robertson, Jean Segura, Andrew McCutchen, and potentially another starting pitcher.
If nothing changes and the Phillies “strike out” on the two major free-agents, the opening day starters are likely set.
Here are the projected starting eight fielders for Philadelphia.
C: Jorge Alfaro
1B: Rhys Hoskins
2B: Cesar Hernandez
SS: Jean Segura
3B: Maikel Franco
LF: Andrew McCutchen
CF: Odubel Hererra
RF: Nick Williams
More than likely Aaron Nola gets the opening day start coming off his Cy Young campaign.
How will the Phillies opt to round out their bench? The team has a bevy of options available. Let’s take a look.
Option 1: Roman Quinn
This one comes as no surprise. Quinn, who could very well end up starting in the outfield, had a solid finish to the 2018 season. Unlike most of the other fielders on the team, his outfield Defensive-Runs-Saved (DRS) was 0, approximately league average. Not bad for a team that was so terrible with fielding that it finished 85 runs worse than the next playoff team.
Quinn’s biggest concern is still his injury history, and a limited role will help him ease into the season.
Plus, if Hererra goes back to his end-of-2018 ways, this list could have a different name.
Option 2: Scott Kingery
Signing Kingery last winter to a 6-year, $24 million contract means that he is not going anywhere. Because of the structuring of his contract, he is still only due $1.5 million next year.
As I wrote before, he will likely be used in a super-utility role, filling in at infield positions in the event of injuries. With Quinn, the addition of McCutchen, and possibly the addition of Bryce Harper, it’s unlikely that Kingery will play any innings in the outfield next season after seven appearances last year.
Option 3: Catcher
This is a tricky one. Andrew Knapp has one more year of Pre-Arbitration left before an additional three years of team control, making him a cheap backup catcher option. However, Knapp struggled mightily last season, and Wilson Ramos was brought on to play.
Ramos has since moved on, signing a two-year contract with the New York Mets. Few viable free-agent options remain, such as Matt Wieters, Devin Mesoraco, or Martin Maldonado. It’s possible the Phillies go that route, or they could opt to trade for one.
Options 4 & 5: TBD
Kingery has played every position but first base, and Rhys Hoskins probably will not start every game this year. So, it might be best for the Phillies to go after another first baseman with some “pop” off the bench. I could put Matt Stairs here and say it’s a perfect world, but let’s be realistic.
The most viable option available on the Market is Lucas Duda, entering his age-33 season after spending last year with both the Braves and Royals. He might want to play in a starting role next season, but had a .733 OPS with 14 HR and 50 RBI in 107 games (87 with KC), in addition to being an average fielder.
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If the Phillies do not opt to go that route, they could look within their system, say, Dylan Cozens (traditionally an outfielder), or perhaps Matt McBride, who was signed to a minor-league contract this offseason.
The Phillies may not need to get a fifth bench player if they opt for a larger bullpen. Based on the amount of pitching changes the Phillies made in 2018 (though it is not a well-known tracked statistic), the team might need an eighth bullpen pitcher. Also, if one of the super-star free-agents is signed, the fifth option may already be available in the form of Aaron Altherr or another trade.
The Phillies continue to find themselves in a waiting period with Machado and Harper. If one (or, in a marginal case, both) is signed, then the bench will likely be set. If not, there is some thinking to do.
Next. Top rookie seasons in Phillies history. dark
Pitchers and catchers start to report for teams on February 12th. That’s 38 days away. The baseball season is slowly approaching.