5 free agents who would significantly improve 2021 Phillies
Five free agents who could significantly improve the Phillies in 2021
A World Series champion for the shortened 2020 season will soon be named. Then, the offseason frenzy will get underway, and the Philadelphia Phillies have many vacancies to fill, including general manager and pitching coach.
Ultimately, though, what will get the team into the postseason next year — for the first time in 10 years — will be the players they add to their club through free agency and trades. We recently featured five free agents that the team should consider signing. The list was highlighted by J.T. Realmuto, along with Trevor Bauer, DJ LeMahieu, Jurickson Profar, and Marcell Ozuna.
All five of these players are available, and all five would significantly improve the Phillies in 2021. Now, we feature five more free agents that would do the same. First up? Shortstop Didi Gregorius.
5. Didi Gregorius
While the fanbase has gotten caught up in a “sign JT” frenzy, the Phillies have another impending free agent they should consider re-signing. Didi Gregorius was consistently excellent for the Phillies in 2020, although his stellar play sometimes went unnoticed since he was never as good as Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins or Alec Bohm were during their respective hot streaks.
However, Didi deserves credit for his consistency. He was the only player on the team to play all 60 games of the season, and he was good at everything he did. He was above average offensively, defensively, and on the base paths. He hit for power and a solid OBP, and he even led the team in RBI.
Gregorius also adds a lot of intangible value. By all accounts, he’s a wonderful presence in the clubhouse and he’s already endeared himself to the fans.
The only problem with signing Gregorius would be the logjam in the middle infield, since Jean Segura and Scott Kingery are also still on the roster. However, if the National League keeps the designated hitter next season, the Phillies could play Didi at shortstop, Kingery at second base, Segura at third base, and Bohm at designated hitter (assuming it carries over in the National League from the 2020 season).