Dylan Covey
Finally, there is the forgotten one, reliever Dylan Covey. Recall that Covey was claimed off waivers by the Phillies when the Los Angeles Dodgers designated him for assignment back in May this year. He began his tenure with the team as a starter/bulk reliever but was permanently moved to the bullpen after a less-than-stellar start to his Phillies’ career.
In fact, Covey would end up struggling for the majority of the season with an ERA hovering above five, as he would yield runs every second or third appearance that he made out of the bullpen. However, he turned his season around down the stretch for the Phillies. In September, he posted stellar numbers across the board with a 0.82 ERA and a .225 opponents' batting average, giving up only one earned run with six strikeouts in 11 innings pitched over nine appearances.
Covey’s late resurgence just so happened to coincide with the fact that he got more playing time down the stretch compared to what he was getting earlier. In previous months, he averaged only five to six outings per month, compared to the nine that he got in September.
So perhaps giving more opportunities to Covey, so that he isn’t always coming out of the bullpen rusty, would make him a more serviceable and effective pitcher in the long run. With his strong play late in the season, he probably would have gotten some consideration for the Phillies’ playoff roster. Unfortunately, he landed on the IL with lower back pain just prior to the end of the regular season, making him ineligible at least until the NLCS.