5 Free-agent pitchers who could be the Phillies’ closer in 2022

4. Mark Melancon

Mark Melancon feels like an unlikely fit for the Phillies, who already signed too many veteran free agents last offseason. Melancon will be 37 in 2022, and has pitched for eight MLB teams in his 13-year career, including 2/5 of the NL East.

However, Melancon did lead the entirety of MLB with 39 saves this season, his most since 2016. He posted a 2.23 ERA over 64 games with the Padres, including 53 games finished. While Melancon’s hit and strikeout rates improved over his 2020 numbers, his home run and walk rates each took a hit this year,

5. Josh Hader

The Milwaukee Brewers are reportedly prepared to deal Josh Hader, who won’t become a free agent until 2024. He posted a career-best 1.23 ERA over 60 games, including 42 games finished and 34 saves.

Over the last two full seasons, the 27-year-old has finished 88 games and earned 71 saves. In the shortened 2020 season, he led the NL with 13 saves.

A sticking point with the three-time NL Reliever of the Year is that the reason the Brewers are considering parting ways is that he essentially declared he’d only pitch one inning per appearance. The results from this decision are dazzling, but it hurt the bullpen when fellow bullpen arm Devin Williams broke his hand at the end of the year.

Acquiring Hader would require a huge (and viable) prospect haul, something the Phillies really don’t have. So unless the Brewers are looking for quantity over quality, Hader feels out of their reach.