3 Phillies players the organization has too much faith in right now
The Phillies should find more suitable options for specific roles with the club and need to clear up a vital situation in the bullpen before the start of the regular season.
The first Philadelphia Phillies spring training workout involving pitchers and catchers took place in Clearwater on Wednesday. Like every team entering spring training, it would be ideal if Philadelphia finds better solutions at certain spots of their roster before their home opener at the end of March.
Here are two players the Phillies organization has too much faith in right now and one potential positional choice the team should avoid implementing this season.
The ambiguity surrounding the closer situation in the bullpen
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski commented during a Feb. 7 interview on SportsRadio 94WIP's Morning Show that he is satisfied with the options the club has to use at closer, whether it be one reliever or multiple to be used in save situations.
José Alvarado has been a good option out of the bullpen in two of his three years with the Phillies. He had a 3.18 ERA in 59 games during the 2022 season. Last season, he was on the IL a few times with left elbow inflammation but was effective in 42 games with a 1.74 ERA.
The 28-year-old also tied his career high with 12 save opportunities and finished with a career-high 10 saves. He finished with a 1.13 ERA in eight contests during the playoffs, further establishing himself as one of the Phillies' top relievers entering spring training.
José Alvarado debuts on the #Top10RightNow at #10!
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 2, 2024
Alvarado pitched a career-best 1.74 ERA in 42 appearances for the @Phillies as they advanced to the NLCS for a second consecutive year. pic.twitter.com/jY9m0eQapF
Alvarado doesn't have much experience as a closer, with 32 saves in 45 opportunities over his seven years in the major leagues. Jeff Hoffman (two saves in five opportunities over eight seasons), Seranthony Domínguez (27 saves in 42 chances over five years), Matt Strahm (six saves in 17 opportunities over eight years), and Gregory Soto (53 saves in 62 chances over five seasons), are four other primary options for the role.
Orion Kerkering is still a young pitcher at 22 years of age. He isn't guaranteed to begin the season with Philadelphia, especially if he struggles during spring training. It would be a lot to ask for him at this point in his career to occupy the most high-leverage situation a reliever can be used in. However, there is promise he can fulfill this role for the organization within a year or two.
Domínguez had a career-high 20 save opportunities with the Phillies but that was in 2018. Soto appeared to be a likely candidate for the role after Philly acquired him in a trade with the Detroit Tigers. However, manager Rob Thomson elected to use Craig Kimbrel in the closer's role during 2023.
The club should commit to one reliever as its closer, whether that be Soto or Alvarado, for example. If not, they should consider acquiring another reliever via trade who has been used in the closer's role for the majority of his career.
Closers such as Kenley Jansen of the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians reliever Emmanuel Clase, and Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers are all rumored to be dealt. Having a closer-by-committee approach risks not working out well for Thomson and the Phillies, particularly in the postseason, and is making the situation more complicated than it needs to be.
Jake Cave
Jake Cave's biggest value to the Phillies is the defensive versatility he can provide. Philadelphia played him primarily at left field (35 games, 31 starts) and first base (17 games, 14 starts) last season. Thomson played him in 11 other games, six of them starting in right field and one starting in center.
In left field, he had a .978 fielding percentage. He had a perfect percentage at first base at 1.000. Defense is overlooked, and he has value from that perspective. Still, is he worth a roster spot? There are concerns about having him on the roster, and it's worth exploring if the Phillies can find someone better than Cave.
Jake Cave saves the @Phillies lead! 😤 pic.twitter.com/vfOTkjhCnt
— MLB (@MLB) July 26, 2023
He isn't known for his offense, as his stat line is .231/.293/.401 in 1,106 career at-bats. Cave posted a .212/.272/.348 line in 184 plate appearances last year. The utility player is not reliable offensively, and the Phillies should not depend upon him at the plate regularly.
News broke on Feb. 9 that outfielder Brandon Marsh underwent knee surgery and will be sidelined for three to four weeks. He should be ready for the Phillies Opening Day contest on March 28 against the Atlanta Braves. He can play all three outfield positions but is currently projected to see the most playing time in left, with Johan Rojas potentially starting in center and Nick Castellanos the primary right fielder.
The outfield depth is thin at the moment, especially in left. Philadelphia designated minor league outfielder Símon Muzziotti for assignment on Feb. 7, even with Marsh dealing with knee pain and swelling. Philadelphia is confident that he will be ready to go by the start of the regular season. Cristian Pache, Kyle Schwarber, and Cave are the other options to be used in left field with Marsh sidelined. Schwarber is transitioning to being the club's primary option as designated hitter and will presumably see less playing time defensively.
Cal Stevenson, currently with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, is an option as he has spent some time in the majors. He played in 23 contests with the Oakland Athletics in 2022 and six contests last year with the San Francisco Giants. However, he is also not known for his success hitting at the major league level. In 29 games and 69 at-bats, he has a career line of .145/.259/.188.
The Phillies need to find a better alternative on the free agent market or via trade to see if one of their outfielders in the minors could provide them with more depth at the position. Even if Cave is used as a depth option at first base, Philly should find someone besides third baseman Alec Bohm to back up Bryce Harper at first, who is more reliable at the plate than Cave.
Taijuan Walker
Starting pitcher Taijuan Walker had an up-and-down first season with Philadelphia in 2023. He went 15-6 and had an ERA of 4.38 in 31 starts. He finished with 138 strikeouts and a 1.31 WHIP. During June, he finished with a 1.50 ERA, 34 strikeouts, and a 5-1 record making it his best month of the season.
Walker seems to have difficulty with his location, as his 71 walks last season were a new career-high for him. The case can be made that he is the Phillies' fifth starter in the rotation based on how last year ended for him with the organization.
Thomson, in a surprise move, didn't use Walker for a starting or a relief appearance during Philadelphia's 13 playoff games last season. The Shreveport, Louisiana native was rightly upset with the decision.
While last year is history, what will the right-hander's role be for the Phillies in 2024? Will he remain with the organization for the duration of the regular season? Should the franchise reach the postseason and if all the starters are healthy, will Thomson shy away from using Walker again if his performance this year is akin to last season? There is no doubt that walks are a concern for the 31-year-old, thus resulting in higher pitch counts and the inability to pitch deep into games.
Being in a situation where Thomson decides against using Walker during the playoffs again is best avoided for the organization. The manager's decision not to use him at all says a lot about his role on the team.
Walker can be depended upon as a fourth or fifth starter for the Phillies, but not much beyond that. Could Philly add a starter via free agency during training camp? While it's not a necessity, considering their rotation is solid, there are better options, such as Jordan Montgomery, who could make the Phillies' starting five even more superior to the rest of the league.
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