Phillies: 6 relievers Joe Girardi is excited about for 2021

There are plenty of reasons for optimism as it relates to the Philadelphia Phillies, heading into their second season under Joe Girardi. Among those reasons is that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski helped retool a bullpen that, during the shortened 2020 season, posted the second-worst combined earned run average in Major League Baseball over the past 90 years.

The 2009 World Series-winning manager recently joined Phillies broadcaster Kevin Frandsen’s Pine Tar for Breakfast podcast and expressed excitement about the club’s new-look bullpen. He called out the following six relievers, in particular, that he is excited for — the first being their No. 30-ranked prospect, Connor Brogdon.

6. Connor Brogdon

Drafted in the 10th round of the 2017 draft, the 26-year-old Brogdon quickly rose through the system in 2019 — jumping from High-A all the way to the Triple-A level. Through 51 appearances and 17 games finished combined that year, he went 6-2 with a 2.61 ERA, 0.921 WHIP, and a 106-to-24 strikeouts-to-walks ratio spanning 76 innings.

While the right-hander did not start this past season in the big-league bullpen, the Phillies first called upon him during their 14th of 60 overall games. He immediately faced adversity, allowing three hits, three runs, one walk, and a pair of home runs through 1 1/3 innings in the eighth and ninth innings of an eventual 11-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Brogdon next appeared five games later, and tossed a scoreless eighth inning to finish the game opposite the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. A day later — in the second half of a twin bill doubleheader opposite the Toronto Blue Jays in Buffalo, Brogdon surrendered a walk, home run, and two earned runs in the eventual 9-8 loss. He recorded just one out, and was optioned to the alternate training site in Lehigh Valley soon after.

Brogdon returned in mid-September, and finished the season with six straight scoreless outings — combining for 8 2/3 innings pitched, while striking out 14 and walking just two.

Girardi said Brogdon was “trying to get his feet wet” in 2020, and that he could get his pitches up to 97/98 miles per hour. “He really started to shine the second time he came up in the last three weeks of the season,” he added. “I’m excited about him.”

5. JoJo Romero

Similar to Connor Brogdon, the left-handed-throwing JoJo Romero rose through the Phillies system in 2019, jumping from Double-A to Triple-A. Romero was used as a starter throughout his minor-league career in the organization, combining to go 26-20 with a 3.69 ERA, 1.289 WHIP, and a 351-135 strikeouts-to-walks ratio across 75 starts and 392 2/3 innings.

Recognizing their desperate need for bullpen arms in 2020, the Phillies first called upon the California native for his major-league debut in the eighth inning of an eventual 11-2 blowout road loss to the Atlanta Braves. Romero shined right away, striking out all three of his batters faced.

Romero combined to post a 3.00 ERA over his first seven of 12 overall appearances in 2020. Then, he struggled, recording a 13.50 ERA in his final five, including allowing 10 hits, eight runs (seven earned), one walk, and one home run through 4 2/3 innings and 25 batters faced.

Phillies manager Joe Girardi is confident the 24-year-old will be able to build upon his rookie showing, and perhaps show off even more velocity in the process. “You had JoJo Romero, who could get up to 96/97 [miles per hour],” he said. “We think there might even be a little more in that tank.”

A strong sophomore showing from Romero could go a long way to help turn around a struggling bullpen from the 2020 season. Currently, he is just one of eight left-handers on the 40-man roster — joining Jose Alvarado, Kyle Dohy, Bailey Falter, Damon Jones, Matt Moore, Cristopher Sanchez, and Ranger Suarez.

4. Sam Coonrod

Phillies manager Joe Girardi said he loves what the team has done with its bullpen this offseason because it added power.

“That was one thing that we lacked last year,” he continued. “[With power], I think you get away with more pitches. You could pitch up in the zone and it’s hard to catch up to. You don’t necessarily have to have pinpoint control to be really successful when you have power, and that’s what we’ve added. I’m excited about that … I think it should bode well for our bullpen.”

Among the relievers with power the Phillies added to their bullpen includes right-hander Sam Coonrod, acquired from the San Francisco Giants in early January for 2020 fourth-round pick Carson Ragsdale.

Girardi noted that Coonrod can hit 100 miles per hour on the radar gun. In 2020, that did not make much a difference, as through 18 starts and five games finished under the Gabe Kapler-led team, he went just 0-2 with a 9.82 ERA, 1.636 WHIP, and 15-7 strikeouts-to-walks ratio across 14 2/3 innings.

What is notable about Coonrod is that among MLB pitchers who three at least 50 four-seam fastballs during the 2020 season, Coonrod ranked fifth in average velocity (98.4 miles per hour), according to Statcast. And, among pitchers who threw at least 50 sinkers, his 97.6 miles per hour average velocity ranked ninth.

The Missouri native and former fifth-round draft pick had a strong rookie showing, going 5-1 with a 3.58 ERA and 1.229 WHIP across 33 appearances and 27 2/3 innings. Of his 114 batters faced, Coonrod allowed 19 hits, 11 runs (11 earned), three home runs, and 15 walks, while striking out 20.

Perhaps, pitching coach Caleb Cotham can unlock Coonrod’s full potential and help his numbers resemble more so what he produced in 2019 rather than 2020.

2. Archie Bradley

Other than re-signing catcher J.T. Realmuto and shortstop Didi Gregorius, perhaps the next-best offseason move that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski pulled off was signing right-handed reliever Archie Bradley to a one-year, $6 million contract.

Bradley, like Sam Coonrod and Jose Alvarado, is another pitcher that throws with power — topping out at 95/96 miles per hour, which excites Phillies skipper Joe Girardi.

The Oklahoma native was drafted in the first round, seventh overall, in the 2011 draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He went on to debut in 2015, and since, has combined to go 23-25 with a 3.91 ERA, 1.359 WHIP, and 425-169 strikeouts-to-walks ratio through 255 appearances and 412 innings. Bradley’s best season arguably came in 2020, posting a 2-0 record, 2.95 ERA, and 1.091 WHIP spanning 16 combined appearances between the Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds. Also, in 2017, Bradley finished 20th in the National League MVP race, posting a 1.73 ERA and 1.041 WHIP in 63 appearances.

Over the years, the right-hander has recorded 28 saves in 46 opportunities. In 2020, he was successful in six of his seven such attempts. The Phillies are not quick to envisioning him being their everyday closer just yet.

During Bradley’s introductory press conference, Girardi said that when he talked to the reliever for the first time this offseason, he told him that he “just wants to pitch,” and does not care when. “I think he definitely has the ability to close,” the skipper continued. “I think it’ll just iron itself out in spring training … he definitely has the ability to close.”

1. Hector Neris

The “veteran” of the Phillies bullpen remains Hector Neris, who first debuted in August 2014 under then-manager Ryne Sandberg and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. The Dominican Republic native is now onto his fourth manager while donning red pinstripes (Pete Mackanin, Gabe Kapler, Joe Girardi), and his third general manager (Matt Klentak, Sam Fuld).

There appears to be no signs that Neris is going anywhere anytime soon, as he and the Phillies agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract in early December to avoid arbitration.

On top of power, Girardi noted to Frandsen that there will be “different looks” in the bullpen this coming season — something that was not necessarily the case during the 2020 struggles.

“You have different looks. Every guy has a little bit of a different look,” Girardi said. “[Sam] Coonrod is going to be different than [Archie] Bradley, who is different than [Connor] Brogdon. [Jose] Alvarado is going to be different than JoJo Romero. Hector Neris has the split. Everyone’s got different pitches they can go to, so it gives you different looks in the bullpen.”

“We had a lot of 92s and 93s last year with breaking balls,” the skipper added. “It’s different this year, so I’m excited about that.”

Neris did not have as strong of a season as he did with his 2.93 ERA in 2019, although it is worth noting that he did not surrender a single home run in 2020 spanning 21 2/3 innings and 103 batters faced. Outside of him allowing two runs in the 5-0 season finale loss that eliminated the team from the postseason, Neris had a 1.23 ERA with a .222/.323/.222 opposing slash over his previous 15 outings that season.

And, now with Bradley, Alvarado, Coonrod, and others, there is not as much pressure on Neris to perform on a day in, day out basis.

Phillies pitchers and catchers are set to report to Clearwater in just days. If these six relievers come through, the sky is the limit for the 2021 bullpen.