The Philadelphia Phillies are off to a 13-13 start and are currently in the midst of a five-game losing streak. After being swept by the New York Mets earlier this week, the team now finds itself sitting five games out of first place in the NL East, and the fan base is starting to get restless.
Sure, it's only April, but that misses the point. This is a Phillies team that has gone 53-51 since July 1 of last year, and many of the same issues that sidetracked the team's World Series hopes last summer remain.
There's plenty of blame to go around the Phillies' clubhouse for the team's cold start. For starters, the team's offense has been inconsistent at best to start the season. After producing only four extra-base hits over a 38-inning stretch against the Mets and Miami Marlins, notching clutch hits and driving in runs has clearly been a major issue for Phillies hitters this season, as evidenced by the team being ranked 14th in MLB in runs scored heading into Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs.
Making matters worse is a bullpen that ranks 29th overall in ERA (5.44). With offseason free agent addition Jordan Romano currently sporting a 13.50 ERA to go along with two blown saves, and Orion Kerkering showing signs of regression in high-leverage spots, the front office is starting to come under fire for not doing enough to reinforce a bullpen that watched a pair of All-Star relievers exit stage left via free agency during the offseason.
It sounds like Dave Dombrowski is planning something for the Phillies' mess of a bullpen
With the bullpen currently in a tailspin, the team's dedicated fan base has been looking for more accountability from manager Rob Thomson and the front office. That's not to say Thomson hasn't been open and honest when asked about his team's struggles, and there's really only so much he can do with the 26-man roster he was presented with.
After speaking with MLB.com's Todd Zolecki earlier in the week, it was welcome news that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski seems willing to do whatever's necessary to fix his under-performing bullpen before it's too late.
"You’re always prepared for what you’re going to do next,” said Dombrowski, per Zolecki. “If they don’t do well, you’re not just going to keep going out there, bullpen after bullpen appearance. It’s something we weigh on a daily basis.”
Dombrowski is clearly not willing to bet on the long game with his bullpen this time around with the Phillies' competitive window getting shorter by the day. That's especially true with his team's bullpen also leading MLB with seven blown saves. We saw the first indication of that earlier this week when it was announced that right-handed pitching prospect Seth Johnson is moving to a bullpen role in Triple-A. He could be the next man up if the major league relievers continue to falter.
Right now, the hope is that Romano and Kerkering can turn things around quickly. But how long can they afford to wait? An educated guess say's not much longer. If the Phillies can't fix the problems with Johnson or other Triple-A bullpen arms, Dombrowski and the Phillies' baseball operations department will have to widen the search and identify possible trade targets on rival clubs.