Phillies: Matt Joyce latest add to spring training roster
The Phillies will still look to improve their roster as spring training nears.
Although the first workout for pitchers and catchers is just days away, the Phillies will not back away from trying to bolster their spring training roster. Two names to keep an eye on are relievers who logged innings for the Phillies just this past season, left-hander Jose Alvarez and righty Blake Parker. Dombrowski said the club is staying in contract with both of the free-agents.
Alvarez, 31, was limited to just eight games in 2020 due to being struck by a line drive. The left-hander was effective in those outings, allowing just one run through 6 1/3 innings. Parker, 35, likewise saw success while donning red pinstripes in 2020, going 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA across 14 appearances.
“I think everybody’s looking for major-league deals right to the very end, and then they make their final decisions,” Dombrowski added. “I’m sure both of them would like to have major league deals and maybe they will. I don’t really know.”
Brandon Kintzler is betting on himself in 2021. @Phillies | #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/h2LsOdmE36
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Along with outfielder Matt Joyce, the Phillies’ other Wednesday minor-league signing Brandon Kintzler, is a right-handed reliever with closer experience who Dombrowski says the team is “happy to have.”
“He was second in the National League last year in saves and games finished,” Dombrowski said. “He’s somebody that comes in and is an established bullpen guy — that can come in, help us, and battle for a job. We’re hopeful that he can contribute.”
“We do keep working to try to make additions. We continue to talk to a couple of people that maybe could help us with infield capacities, and non-roster invitees as far as the bullpen,” Dombrowski said. “We’ll keep doing that. I don’t know if we’ll do anymore, but those have been our main focus.”
With the 40-man roster full, difficult decisions are ahead for the Phillies.
The Phillies may still be looking to add players through both major and minor-league deals with spring invites. But, a further difficult decision looms large with each such signing — if said player performs well to make the Opening Day roster.
The Phillies’ 40-man roster is filled, meaning if right-handed reliever Brandon Kintzler and outfielder Matt Joyce perform well in spring training, the Phillies would have to find two players to either designate for assignment or trade to create room.
Just in recent weeks, the Phillies have made moves to their 40-man roster to create spots for J.T. Realmuto, Archie Bradley, Didi Gregorius, and others. All three players then-interim general manager Ned Rice acquired — following Matt Klentak‘s departure as GM and prior to Dave Dombrowski‘s arrival as president of baseball operations — have all been let go. On Wednesday, the Phillies traded right-hander Johan Quezada to the St. Louis Cardinals to create a 40-man roster spot for Gregorius.
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Pitchers Neftali Feliz, Ivan Nova, David Paulino, Hector Rondon, and Michael Ynoa; catcher Christian Bethancourt; and infielder Ronald Torreyes and among the other non-roster invitees vying for a 40-man and Opening Day roster spot.
Who are the most likely candidates that the Phillies will consider moving on from on their 40-man roster, should they want to promote any of these non-roster invitees? Perhaps infielder C.J. Chatham, recently acquired from the Boston Red Sox, or even former No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak.
Spring training has yet to begin, but it is worth thinking a step ahead at what could be some difficult decisions to Phillies will have to make.
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