Phillies: 3 players who have impressed, 2 who have not

Rhys Hoskins‘ recent inability to draw a walk is something to keep an eye on for sure, but other than that, it’s hard to complain about how he’s performing at the plate. He’s making great solid contact and has opened 2021 about as well as anyone could have reasonably expected.

Phillies reliever Connor Brogdon surprisingly leads the majors in wins.

If you told me that nearly 10 games into the season, Phillies relief pitcher Connor Brogdon would lead Major League Baseball in wins, I probably would have laughed in your face. Yet, here we are. Hey, the truth is always stranger than fiction isn’t it?

Sure, it’s early, but the Phillies bullpen already looks much more confident and vastly improved from 2020. Considering how bad they were last season, this is the kind of progress surely worth celebrating. Brogdon has been one of the players who has stepped up and really shined when called upon early this year.

The 26-year old reliever has made four appearances this season holding opponents scoreless in each of them and earning the decision and win in three. He’s looked solid, and after pitching 11 1/3 innings last season, FanGraphs has his velocity as up on all of his pitches compared to 2020. That’s a great sign for a young pitcher who is entering their first full season with the big league club.

The Phillies have desperately needed a young arm out of the bullpen to provide them with solid and consistent innings. They are hoping Brogdon is that guy. If he continues to come up big, look for manager Joe Girardi to give him the ball in more high-pressure situations, especially now that fellow reliever Archie Bradley is on the injured list.