Phillies: Joe Girardi excited with Dave Dombrowski hire

Rhys Hoskins

One of the key players on the Phillies roster is first baseman Rhys Hoskins, who missed the final two weeks of the 2020 season due to his eventual internal brace repair procedure to repair the ulnar collateral ligament on his left (non-throwing) elbow. Hoskins had this surgery in lieu of Tommy John surgery — meaning a faster recovery time.

Girardi said on Monday Hoskins’ rehab has gone well, and that while it is possible he could be slightly behind, he still has optimism the slugger will be ready to go come Opening Day, especially if the start of the season is pushed back to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Offseason focus

Girardi was not shy to discuss the team’s near all-time-worst bullpen in 2020. He said that he really believes the Phillies could have told opposing hitters what was coming, “and it wouldn’t have turned out as bad as it did”

“It was just one of those years where nothing seemed to go right,” Girardi added. “The bullpen is a big focus [this offseason].”

COVID-19 pandemic

While the COVID-19 vaccine distribution is imminent in the Philadelphia area, Girardi told reporters that he will not recommend to his players that they get it, as he believes he is not in the place to do so.

Girardi also looked back on the unprecedented 2020 season’s rules, his first in red pinstripes — among them, how seven-inning games were played in doubleheaders. “When you play a 7-inning game in a doubleheader and then play a 9-inning game, a 9-inning game seems long,” he said.

Girardi has not been shy to disagree with some of the new rules introduced in Major League Baseball in recent years. It seems as though this doubleheader rule was not one of them.

Regardless, Phillies pitchers and catchers are currently scheduled to report to Clearwater, Florida, in just a couple of months. There is no doubt that the offseason is moving along quickly.