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Philadelphia Phillies: 3 relievers the club should sign

By Austin DeCouta |
Alex Colome #48 of the Chicago White Sox (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Alex Colome #48 of the Chicago White Sox (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
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Three free-agent relievers still available who the Phillies should consider.

Heading into the offseason, many thought the Philadelphia Phillies were not going to be big spenders this winter. However, they have displayed a willingness to spend, re-signing J.T Realmuto and Didi Gregorius, along with adding two key pieces to the bullpen. The first was a three-team deal that brought in Jose Alvarado from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Phils followed that up with the signing of right-hander Archie Bradley to a one-year, $6 million contract.

Coming off of a 2020 campaign in which the Phillies had Major League Baseball’s worst bullpen earned run average in the last 90 years, there is still work to be done to improve a bullpen that seemingly could not hold a lead. Here are three affordable free-agent reliever options that would immediately help improve their bullpen.

3. Cam Bedrosian

The son of former Phillies Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Steve Bedrosian, right-hander Cam Bedrosian would be a natural fit with his dad’s longtime team. Bedrosian, 29, has spent the last seven seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. Overall, he was effective pitching to a 2.45 ERA and 2.92 FIP last season in 14 2/3 innings pitched. He does not bolster eye-popping career numbers with a career FIP of 3.60 and an ERA of 3.70, but they are very serviceable numbers. Over the last five seasons, he has compiled an ERA of 3.20 which is a bit lower than his career average. One issue which may have led to the Angels cutting ties with him is the dip in velocity. Bedrosian saw a sizeable dip in the velocity of his fastball as it declined from 95.3 miles per hour to 92.3. In 2018, the average velocity for a relief pitchers’ fastball was 93.4 miles per hour and currently increasing, which puts Bedrosian below average in velocity.

These issues with velocity and consistency provide an opportunity for the Phillies to buy low on someone who could make a decent impact. With bigger money already shelled out to Bradley, Bedrosian is someone the Phillies can likely grab for a cheap price on a one-year deal. If Bedrosian’s velocity remains around 92 miles per hour there is a chance they could even grab him on a low-risk minor league deal. Bedrosian could position himself into a seventh-inning role with the Phillies and is the exact low-risk, low-price reliever that Dave Dombroski could be looking for.

Keone Kela (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Keone Kela (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

2. Keone Kela

It is hard to find another reliever on the market that has the ceiling of right-hander Keone Kela. Still just 27 years old, Kela was poised to be the Pirates closer for the 2020 season, before injury struck yet again. Over 122 1/3 innings since 2017, Kela compiled a 2.87 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 153:48 K: BB over that stretch. His 31.1% strikeout rate is something to get excited about as strikeout relievers are extremely valuable in today’s MLB.

With eye-popping strikeout numbers and still just age 27, you may wonder why Kela has not been signed or how the Phillies could afford him.

Injuries and off the field issues have combined to diminish the value of Kela. He still is capable enough to earn an MLB contract, but reports circulated last year of Kela causing locker room trouble in Pittsburgh. He was also ejected for his role in a pair of benches-clearing brawls in 2019 against Cincinnati. He vehemently denied causing any type of locker room trouble.

With little rumors surrounding the right-hander, there is a chance the Phillies can snag him at a good price. The Phillies are not always the best at reclamation projects, but a low-leverage role for Kela could prove effective if he can continue to utilize his powerful fastball.

At this point, the Phillies are not looking for low-risk veterans to flip at the trade deadline. They need a low-cost veteran with a high ceiling who can take on a high leverage spot down the stretch.

Alex Colome #48 of the Chicago White Sox (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Alex Colome #48 of the Chicago White Sox (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

1. Alex Colome

Allowing just two earned runs in 22 1/3 innings pitched in 2020, right-hander Alex Colome was one of the best relievers in baseball. The run he had last season may not be sustainable and shows why the White Sox opted to bring in Liam Hendricks to replace Colome. Boasting a career 2.95 ERA and 3.54 FIP, Colome has been very consistent even when he is not in the closer position.

Strikeouts and velocity are increasingly important, but with Colome, it’s the ground ball rate that has allowed him to remain successful. His strikeout rate has dropped from 22.1 percent to 17.8 last season. He did possess a 52.4 percent ground ball rate last season, the best of his career.
Colome does a good job of keeping the baseball on the ground which is important at Citizens Bank Park.

While the Phillies already have Hector Neris, Jose Alvarado, and Archie Bradley competing for the closer spot, Colome would give them a more proven ninth-inning option than the rest. Kela and Bedrosian could be acquired on cheap contracts, but Colome could command a hefty one-year salary. Depending on the Phillies’ budget and willingness to spend, Colome could be a fantastic pairing with the existing bullpen pieces.

Now age 32, Colome will likely continue to see a gradual dip in his velocity, especially in his cutter, evident based on last season’s drop off in velocity. With Didi Gregorius behind him at short, the Phillies will need to make sure the rest of the infield is defensive-minded if Colome takes the hill.

Dave Dombroski could have some moves left to make and if John Middleton allows him to spend, Colome would be a great fit.

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