Phillies: 5 free agent starting pitchers they could sign
The Phillies have an opportunity to rebuild their pitching staff in free agency
Perhaps the biggest weakness within the Phillies roster, the starting pitching staff left plenty to be desired in 2019. Now, looking towards the offseason, free agency provides a beacon of hope for generating a starting rotation the Phils can apply to a roster that is already ready to compete for a playoff spot in 2020.
The depth of this year’s free agency group is worth the Phils pocketbook; here are a few names to keep an eye on as baseball’s hibernation approaches.
Jake Odorizzi
Jake Odorizzi may not be the sexy pick when considering Gerrit Cole may reside in the same class, but he may be one of the most cost-effective options for the Phillies.
Originally a first-round draft pick by the Brewers, Odorizzi was moved to the Royals in a deal that sent Zach Greinke to Milwaukee. He then became highly touted prospect within the Royals organization, but was shipped again along with Wil Myers in 2012, this time to Tampa Bay in exchange for James Shields and Wade Davis.
Odorizzi compiled a solid 3.82 ERA over the course of four seasons with the Rays, that coincided with a solid 40-37 record. His career shifted when he was traded yet again to Minnesota in 2018 for a minor league infielder.
Odorizzi proceeded to stumble slightly in 2018; his ERA soaring up to 4.50 for the season, but he rebounded in 2019 with 15-7 record and a 3.51 ERA, which is impressive, especially given that he’s throwing in the American League.
His stuff got better in 2019, with a velocity jump into the mid 90’s with his sinker/fastball, which can be attributed to a different offseason training program.
He’ll throw in a good splitter and a solid slider as a mix, but Odorizzi pitches off his sinker, which generates a ton of swing and misses. He’s one of the better options in this class, so Odorizzi won’t come cheap.
At 30 years of age, Odorizzi still has enough innings left in his arm to warrant a longer-term contract structure. If signed he’d be at least the No.3 option, if not overtaking Jake Arrieta as the No. 2 slot in the rotation.
Madison Bumgarner
Madison Bumgarner’s postseason heroics and embodiment of old school baseball has him adored in San Francisco for all time, but the Giants aren’t getting close to winning anytime soon, and Bumgarner isn’t getting any younger.
A Giant for life thus far, it might take more than expected to lure him away from San Francisco, but Bumgarner loves to win, and it can be expected that he’ll agree to sign with a contender.
His injury issues are well-chronicled, but Bumgarner has seemingly put that knock to rest with another 200+ inning season in 2019.
Bumgarner’s stuff is still there, and his funky delivery will always throw hitters off. His ability to mix pitches from the left side as well as hit his spots makes him especially valuable to the Phillies, who haven’t had a great lefty in their rotation since Cole Hamels.
What truly makes Bumgarner one of the top pitchers over the last decade has been his competitiveness on the bump, something a few of the guys on the Phillies roster could do well to learn from. While that competitiveness gets him into trouble at times with other teams, it would be hard to imagine Philly fans not enjoying a bulldog out on the mound.
Not to be undervalued in the national league is Bumgarner’s hitting tool, which has come to fruition in playoff situations. He’ll likely be costly, but Bumgarner would immediately improve the Phils rotation from a No.2 or No.3 slot.
Zack Wheeler
Zack Wheeler is like Odorizzi in that it took him a while to find sturdy footing in the big leagues, but he made his mark on the league last season.
A first-round pick with a simply gifted right arm, Wheeler hovered around triple digits this year with a simple delivery that kept him off the IL this season. He started as the extra arm in the once-amazing rotation of Harvey-Thor-Matz-Degrom, but has since garnered success in his own right.
Wheeler throws everything hard and with big-time bite, giving him ace-like potential. His fastball will rest in the 96-99 range, along with a solid split, a slider, and a change-up that still gets over 90 on the gun.
His injury issues, including a Tommy John Surgery, are not quite behind him but Wheeler has proved over the past two years that he is a viable option towards the top of any rotation when healthy. He’s still only 30 next season and with semi-limited innings, the Phillies can offer him a longer deal with mutual buyout if the injury problems resurface.
Wheeler’s combination of ridiculous stuff and a newfound ability to stay out of the trainer’s room make him an interesting signing, but if it pays off the Phillies might have two potential aces in their rotation. The only downside to a guy like Wheeler is that when hitters make contact, the ball flies, especially in Citizens Bank Park. But considering the uptick in the value of guys that can spin the baseball and chuck it with velocity, the Phils certainly won’t be the only suitor for Wheeler.
Dallas Keuchel
The Phillies missed out on the opportunity to sign Dallas Keuchel this past offseason, and when Keuchel contributed in the Braves postseason appearance, it put a little salt in the wound.
Keuchel pitches to contact, spots his pitches, and everything that comes out of his hand moves in some fashion, making him effective despite having a heater that rarely touches 90 miles per hour.
His durability ( he has only been on the IL twice since 2012) and pitching style stand to show that he’ll be healthy for the foreseeable future, and his ability to generate ground balls as a sinkerballer will help him find success in a small park like Citizens Bank Park.
Keuchel is also a lefty, which as stated before, helps to add a little variety for opposing hitters during a series.
Keuchel may be a little iffy about signing with a team that passed on him last year, but if the price is right, that aspect likely will not matter. Keuchel may not demand the money that the top 2-3 arms get, making him a viable rotation piece to go along with another free agent arm.
Another factor to consider is given that the Braves are a division rival, they may try and hold on to Keuchel, but Atlanta may have too many eager young arms to warrant holding on the veteran. If he signs in Philadelphia, Keuchel will likely demand a middle of the rotation spot, likely in the No.3 territory.
Cole Hamels
Signing Cole Hamels makes a good deal of sense when considering the way the Phillies roster is built. With so much young talent around the diamond, bringing back a Phillies legend and veteran presence may calm the storm surrounding the rotation. And not only that, Hamels has been productive in his post-Phillies career.
After a few seasons down in Texas that included a 2016 campaign in which Hamels went 15-5 with a sub 3.5 ERA, Hamels was moved at the trade deadline in 2018 to the Cubs in exchange for a couple of minor leaguers, helping the Cubs to another postseason appearance.
Philadelphia Phillies
His 2019 season with Chicago ended with a record of 7-7 with a sub-4 ERA showing that his stuff still plays. The oldest free agent on this list at 36, Hamels has yet to face a steep velocity drop-off or a diminishing of effectiveness with this off-speed offerings, so his price tag won’t be for nothing.
However, age catches up to everyone, and the best the Phillies can hope for is a few more solid years out of him, a serious aspect to consider when trying to build a roster that can win for more than just one season. Hamels may have to accept less to come back to Philadelphia, and a move like this certainly wouldn’t hurt the Phils attendance levels. T
he 2008 season seems like forever ago, but Hamels could be a piece that helps get the Phillies back in contention.
The arms race that is MLB free agency played in the Phillies favor last year, and it could again give the organization finds the right manager and hits on the right guys. It’s a lot to ask of the front office, but by fitting the right pieces into an already strong roster, the Phillies are quickly going to be back in the race for another playoff run.