3 Phillies roster spots the team needs to upgrade, 1 that’s fine as is
The Phillies roster needs upgrades at these three spots and they can ignore this other area.
Last year, the Philadelphia Phillies tried so hard and got so far. In the end, it didn’t really matter. Or did it? There is some stock to put into making it to the World Series after a lengthy playoff drought. The 2007 Phillies got over an impossible hump and went on to win the World Series the very next season. Sometimes you need to show up to a dance stag before you can go to one with a date.
We’ll find out for sure how serious the front office is about winning this year by what they do at the trade deadline. Do they go after one of the big fish or do they look to add around what’s already here? Chances are with the current state of the farm system we will see them craft trades around the current roster.
Taking a harsh look at it, these three roster spots could use an upgrade while this other area looks fine as is.
The Phillies roster needs a Cristopher Sánchez upgrade
Cristopher Sánchez has been good for the Phillies but he serves them much better as a sixth starter than someone guaranteed to step on the mound every fifth day. The Phillies went into the year lacking starting pitching depth. They’re going to need more of it to get through the remainder of the 162 and through the postseason. With doubleheaders and maybe an extra day of rest needed for some of the starters, having Sanchez around for the occasional spot start has some value. He is this year’s Bailey Falter.
What killed the Phillies most in last year’s World Series was the lack of trust in starters not named Aaron Nola or Zack Wheeler. Even they were imperfect on the biggest stage.
A healthy Ranger Suarez and the addition of Taijuan Walker will make a difference. Those four should be good enough. The Phillies shouldn’t stand on a “should be” and feel confident.
A significant addition to the starting rotation is something the Phillies should eye while settling for more of a mid-level starter. None of the starting pitchers should be off the table if the price is right. The more playoff experience the guy has, the better.
The Phillies roster needs a right-handed middle reliever upgrade
Yunior Marte or Andrew Bellatti. Why not both? The Phillies need at least one right-handed reliever upgrade before the trade deadline. Make it a high-leverage arm if you can. Take something more middle-of-the-road if it’s all you can snag.
The Philadelphia bullpen has dealt with several injuries this year. The health of Seranthony Dominguez and Jose Alvarado is something to closely monitor as August 1 approaches. Even if they’re feeling their best, a roster upgrade for the bullpen seems like an absolute must for Philadelphia.
It’s at the trade deadline when relief pitchers make themselves extra valuable in a game of immaculate grid. No contender is ever out of the market for a relief pitcher addition. The Phillies are far from the exception.
If there is any good news to hang your Phillies cap on this year compared to last, at least there isn’t much of a concern in the ninth. Craig Kimbrel drank from the Fountain of Youth. The Phillies can pull their assets away from trying to acquire a closer and instead focus on maybe even bringing in more than a single upgrade. Finding at least one optional reliever would be ideal in this case.
Every summer seems to have at least one new reliever on the Phillies roster. Keep your fingers crossed he’s more Scott Eyre than Brandon Workman.
The Phillies roster needs to upgrade the slugger off the bench
The Phillies need at least one upgrade for the bench. If Bryce Harper can be an effective first baseman, it removes any need for Darick Hall. Alec Bohm can serve as the first baseman as he has for much of the year. The Phillies can get by with lots of Edmundo Sosa at third base as well.
It’s more of the Hall or even the Josh Harrison spot where the Phillies need to get better. The arrival of Johan Rojas to the big league roster seems to have secured up one roster spot. He should stick around barring some kind of a major slump to tell us otherwise.
The Phillies don’t necessarily need a Matt Stairs kind of slugger whose lone role is to come up with the occasional pinch hit. A flexible defender with some pop is more in the realm of what they should be looking for. Stay away from any first base exclusive players. A third baseman who can even play some corner outfield might be the best fit for the Phillies.
This roster upgrade won’t be too impossible to find. A starter on another ball club who needs to be moved to a part-time role is one option. Snagging a guy already having some success off a bench is the other.
A bench won’t win or lose a championship. However, not having enough backup plans due to an injury can bite you hard.
The Phillies roster is fine with the starting lineup they have
Do the Phillies need Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, or Shohei Ohtani? It’d be nice. It would also change the complexion of the roster and farm system. At the right price, yes. The Phillies should land any of those stars. The urgency to trade Arenado and Goldschmidt just isn’t there for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Los Angeles Angels would probably want Bryson Stott in any deal for Ohtani. This just creates a brand new hole for the Phillies and would wipe out the farm system.
The Phillies starting lineup is almost as perfect as it can get. They have problems. The defense isn’t the sharpest. Trea Turner has failed to live up to expectations. J.T. Realmuto is having a rare off-year at the plate.
Compared to other teams in the wild card race, the Phillies have one of the most feared starting nine you can put together. The magnificent season they’ve gotten from Nick Castellanos has more than made up for the absence of Rhys Hoskins. This is a team that mashes and not just with the home run ball.
Yes, the Phillies should look at every possibility to improve their starting lineup. It’s hardly the priority. Get the arms first. Expect the bats to awaken if they haven’t already.
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