The Philadelphia Phillies’ underwhelming trade deadline was headlined by the acquisition of hitting machine Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants. While the slap-hitting second baseman provides a much-needed offensive boost, under-the-radar breakout reliever Caleb Kilian was another important piece of the trade. Given the struggles of incumbent setup man Orion Kerkering, Kilian should get the chance to earn a role as a high-leverage arm.
Right-hander Caleb Kilian’s major league career consisted of just 27 ⅓ innings of work in parts of three seasons with the Chicago Cubs prior to this year. The 2019 eighth-round selection didn’t receive any big league time last season, and was viewed as little more than a depth option when the Giants scooped him up on a minor-league pact this past winter.
The 29-year-old blew away expectations in the Bay Area, making his way into 45 contests and firing 44 ⅓ innings of 4.26 ERA ball with 53 strikeouts. That solid performance doesn’t appear to be a mere fluke, as his Baseball Savant page is almost entirely red and his Fielding Independent Pitching mark is an even more impressive 3.59.
The foundering Giants included Kilian and his five-plus remaining years of team control in the Arraez deal on Monday, netting rising pitching prospect Ramon Marquez and young relief arm Marty Gair. While Arraez was the headliner, the impact Kilian could have on a depleted Phillies bullpen should not be overlooked.
Orion Kerkering's struggles should open up an opportunity with Phillies for Caleb Kilian
Speaking of the Phillies’ pen, one of the unit’s main disappointments has been mercurial righty Orion Kerkering. The 25-year-old has an electric fastball and wipeout sweeper, giving him the surface-level ingredients to be a late-inning option for interim manager Don Mattingly. Unfortunately, throughout his four-year career, Kerkering has demonstrated that his issues are less due to physical limitations, and instead reside between his ears.
Kerkering has often come up short when called upon in “dirty innings,” frequently allowing inherited runners to score. His mental struggles were perfectly encapsulated last October, when his inexplicable error quite literally threw away the team’s season. Those demons crept up on him once again this past weekend, when a four-run Kerkering meltdown prolonged the Phils’ losing streak in Baltimore.
It has been made abundantly clear that Orion Kerkering simply does not have the mentality to be a high-leverage reliever. His solid 3.43 season-long ERA goes to show that he’s far from a useless hurler, but he clearly cannot be trusted when the lights are brightest.
This brings things back to Caleb Kilian. The newest Phillies reliever may not immediately be thrust into pressure-packed situations, but if he keeps up his breakout year he could displace the untrustworthy Kerkering. As things stand, the Phils are short on quality right-handed options behind elite closer Jhoan Duran, with Kerkering faltering and free agent acquisition Brad Keller going down with a season-ending injury.
Caleb Kilian will most likely not be collecting the final out of the World Series for the Phillies. That job belongs to the incomparable Duran. However, it takes a village to get the ball into his hand, and If Orion Kerkering doesn’t sort himself out, he should find himself behind Kilian in the pecking order.
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