That Balls Outta Here
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Phillies: Bryce Harper domino effect could last decades

By George Stockburger

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 14: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals rounds second base to score on Daniel Murphy #20's (not pictured) game winning double in the tenth inning during a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on April 14, 2017 in Washington, D.C. The Nationals won 3-2 in ten innings. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 14: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals rounds second base to score on Daniel Murphy #20's (not pictured) game winning double in the tenth inning during a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on April 14, 2017 in Washington, D.C. The Nationals won 3-2 in ten innings. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 21: Dallas Keuchel #60 of the Houston Astros pitches against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the first inning at Angel Stadium on April 21, 2018 in Anaheim, California. Players are wearing special jerseys with their nicknames on them during Players’ Weekend. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

Dallas Keuchel signs a three-year deal

Unless the Phillies use Franco or one of their outfielders to add a pitcher, they could reach back out to Dallas Keuchel and work out a deal similar to Jake Arrieta’s.

Philadelphia has been publically searching for a left-handed starting pitcher, but they haven’t been willing to take on risky years. They were outbid on Patrick Corbin and J.A. Happ on years, not necessarily money. They also kept tabs on James Paxton before the Yankees snatched him from the Mariners early in the offseason.

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Like Arrieta, Keuchel’s free agent tour appears to be headed into spring training. Philadelphia simply won’t sign pitchers to long-term deals, and that’s understandable. Injuries for pitchers can be devastating not just to the player, but for the club. Look at the Yu Darvish situation in Chicago.

Arrieta signed a three-year deal with player opt-outs and team options to make it a five-year deal. That kind of deal makes sense for Keuchel, though he’s younger than Arrieta was last offseason.

Keuchel would be fantastic for the Phillies, giving them a legitimate top-three comprised of two Cy Young winners and a future Cy Young candidate. While adding a lefty is important, getting one like Keuchel with a high groundball rate is key when you’re playing in Citizens Bank Park most of the season.

We’ll see what the Middleton’s bank account looks like after Harper signs and if the team makes a deal for Moustakas, but adding Keuchel for $70-85 million over three or four years could make the Phillies playoff contenders.

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