Phillies add Connor Brogdon, Blake Parker to bullpen
By Matt Rappa
The Phillies have made a slew of roster moves to address their bullpen woes
After posting a Major League Baseball-worst 9.87 ERA through its first 11 games, the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen received a makeover on Tuesday ahead of the team’s home series opener against the Baltimore Orioles.
The club announced it has selected the contracts of right-handed relievers Connor Brogdon and Blake Parker. As corresponding moves, fellow right-handers Nick Pivetta and Trevor Kelley were optioned and designated for assignment, respectively.
Outfielder Nick Williams was also designated for assignment; he is the only remaining player in the Phillies organization acquired in the July 2015 Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman trade to the Texas Rangers.
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The rookie Brogdon, 25, joins the Phillies after going 3-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 26 appearances last season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Manager Joe Girardi said he will ease Brogdon, adding: “You don’t try to give him too much too early.
Parker, 35, posted a 5.04 ERA in 23 appearances in red pinstripes in 2019 after being acquired from the Minnesota Twins.
Pivetta, 27, had posted a 15.88 ERA in three appearances and 5 2/3 innings. Kelley, 26, meanwhile, posted a 10.80 ERA spanning four appearances and 3 1/3 frames.
Williams 26, had yet to appear this season; from 2017-19, he slashed .254/.313/.420 with 30 doubles, 31 home runs, and 110 RBI in 290 games.
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The Phillies had to make some form of a move to their bullpen, and this is at least their first way to address its historically bad start to the season. According to The Athletic’s Jayson Stark, the Phillies bullpen has posted a 10.66 ERA while leading a game (12 2/3 innings pitched, 15 earned runs, 23 hits, 5 home runs) — an ERA that is higher than any other team’s bullpen ERA when trailing a game in 2020.
In contrast, the Atlanta Braves bullpen has yielded just two earned runs in 32 innings (0.56 ERA) when pitching with a lead.
Time will tell if Brogdon and Parker make a difference.