3 Phillies players on the roster bubble who deserve a shot in 2024
Which Phillies players could potentially shine if given more opportunities to play in 2024?
Heading into next season, the Philadelphia Phillies have a few players who could be on the bubble in terms of securing a roster spot on the major league roster for 2024.
Whether they just had a sub-par season in 2023 or just never really got the chance to shine this past year, they're definitely worth giving a shot in 2024. The Phillies need to see what these players can really do if given the right environment and opportunity to show their worth.
Here are three Phillies players who may be on the roster bubble but should be given a fair chance to make the 2024 team.
Kody Clemens
During Spring Training in 2023, Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins went down with a season-ending injury with a torn ACL on a fielding play against the Detroit Tigers. As a result, they desperately needed an adequate replacement at first base for the start of the season. They initially tried out Darick Hall in the spot, but Hall would also end up getting injured, suffering a thumb sprain.
As a result, Kody Clemens got his chance when he was called up from the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to replace Hall on the roster. Clemens would go on to stick with the big league club up until the first week of July. He posted decent production numbers with a .230 batting average, 15 runs scored, seven doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI in 47 games played.
When the Phillies decided to move Bryce Harper to first base permanently, there was no longer room for Clemens on the roster, and he was subsequently sent back to the minors on July 2.
From there, Clemens would go on a tear right to the end of the season in Triple-A. He finished the year with the IronPigs batting .256 with a career-high .937 OPS, 51 runs scored, 10 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 52 RBI and seven stolen bases in just 62 games.
Yeah we’re changing Kody’s name to “Kody Dingers”… sorry Kody pic.twitter.com/RpeiBWHDj8
— Lehigh Valley IronPigs (@IronPigs) August 11, 2023
With the ability to play around the diamond in the infield, Clemens definitely deserves another look next season at the big league level to see what he can accomplish as one of the ballclub’s utility players, along with being a potential power bat off the bench for the Phillies.
Cristian Pache
If you recall, Cristian Pache was a last-minute addition to the Phillies’ 2023 roster when he was acquired from the Oakland Athletics at the start of the season in exchange for pitching prospect Billy Sullivan. Known for his speed and defensive abilities, Pache served as one of the Phillies’ extra outfielders during the 2023 season.
Despite seeing limited action, he put together a strong first half of the season. In 32 games, of which he started only 15, Pache had an accumulated batting average of .327 with an OPS of .957, along with eight runs scored, seven doubles, two home runs and eight RBI.
Unfortunately, his great season would be interrupted twice by injuries, as he suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee at the end of April and then landed on the IL again in July with right elbow irritation (due to a loose screw from a previous injury).
Pache eventually rejoined the ballclub for the stretch run as one of the September callups. However, this time around, he struggled mightily over the last month of the season by going just 4-for-35 with four runs scored, three RBI and 15 strikeouts.
At one point in time, Pache was the Braves’ top prospect, as well as the 12th-ranked prospect in all of baseball entering the 2021 season, according to MLB Pipeline. There is no denying that his excellence in speed and defense has been his main playing card, but his offensive potential has yet to materialize at the major league level.
Perhaps giving him a chance to play more in the coming season could finally unleash his potential to become a more substantial overall contributor to the team in 2024.
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.