Phillies 2020 Opening Day roster early predictions before free agency

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 15: Brad Miller #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies during a game against the Boston Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park on September 15, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Red Sox won 6-3. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /

The Bench

Beyond the pitching, Philadelphia’s weakest point going into last year was their bench. General manager Matt Klentak gave Nick Williams, Aaron Altherr, and Andrew Knapp one last shot to stick with the club long-term, but all three failed to live up to their expectations.

Altherr is already gone, Williams will likely be traded for scraps, and Knapp will fight for a roster spot in 2020.

Philadelphia had to scramble mid-season to fill their bench out, leading to the acquisitions of Jay Bruce, Brad Miller, Logan Morrison, Jose Pirela, and Corey Dickerson. Phil Gosselin and Sean Rodriguez both saw ample playing time, but proved to be nothing but role players.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 27: Adam Haseley #40 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with Sean Rodriguez #13, Andrew Knapp #15, and Logan Morrison #8 after hitting a game winning fielders choice in the bottom of the fifteenth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on September 27, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Marlins 5-4 in fifteenth inning. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Roman Quinn flashed at times, but was predictably injured for most of the season.

Bruce is expected to come back as insurance in left field and power from the left-side of the plate. Seattle is paying the majority of his contract in 2020, so there’s nothing much for the Phillies to lose by keeping him.

Dickerson is likely gone on the free agent market after picking it up offensively for the Phillies after being traded from Pittsburgh. He was a good, cheap get by Klentak, but there’s no room for him long-term.

The Phillies could pick between Miller, Gosselin, and Rodriguez as to who they want back as a utility player. Miller was solid, hitting 12 home runs with a .263 batting average after being traded from Cleveland. While he’d be another left-handed bat, he played five positions last year.

We covered the catching position earlier, which could be a battle for the backup job between Knapp and a free agent.

More from That Balls Outta Here

If the 26-man roster goes through, the Phillies would have two spots left on their bench. They need a right-handed bat, which could be Quinn as a switch-hitter, if he’s healthy. Rodriguez was not popular among the fanbase, so he’s an unlikely returner. Gosselin hit .342 off the bench and played multiple positions, so he’s a candidate to return to his hometown team.

Todd Frazier could be an option as a power bat off the right-hand side, but he’s limited to only a couple of positions. He does have a history with Joe Girardi and is from South Jersey.

Would a reunion with reigning World Series MVP Howie Kendrick make sense? He did hit .344 in 121 games for Washington last year and played five positions in the last two seasons.

Prediction: Jay Bruce, Brad Miller, Roman Quinn, Todd Frazier (Assuming a 26-man roster)

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If the Phillies aren’t permitted to have a 26-man roster, they could drop someone like Frazier or a reliever to make the 25-man limit.