Phillies Mid-Season Grades - Part 2: Pitchers
Let's continue to check in on the players performance, this time a closer look at the pitching staff.
As we did with the position players in Part 1, Part 2 will dive in deeper on the pitching staff. We are in unfamiliar territory right now as Phillies fans because the pitching staff, and more specifically, the bullpen is really the strength of this year's team.
Dave Dombrowski made it a point to add to the bullpen when he traded for All-Star Gregory Soto, Matt Strahm and signed future Hall of Famer Craig Kimbrel. While keeping the core and breakout stars from last year, Jose Alvarado and Seranthony Domínguez, the Bullpen seemed to be solidified. Going into the year, the Phillies were relying on the stability of the top four in the starting rotation of Zach Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker, and Ranger Suárez. This has remained true as we are half way through the season.
The 7-8-9th innings have been lock down for the most part and as of late the starting pitching has come alive. According to Fangraphs, the Phillies have the number one (!) pitching staff ranked by WAR with a WAR of 12.8 which is 0.6 more than the second-place team. It was definitely expected that the offense would carry this team going into the year but the arms have carried the majority of the weight so far. If the pitching can keep this up and the offense comes alive like expected, this Phillies team can be very dangerous come September.
Wheeler is as consistent as they come. He trots out onto the field every fifth game and gives this team a chance to win in (almost) every game he starts. Though he has had a few rough outings and some bad luck when it comes to weak hits and bad timing, he has shown why he is an Ace of this team.
He boasts an ERA of 3.86 at the midway point which is inflated by a couple of tough starts in June against the Mets and Nationals. In the other three starts in June, he combined to throw 19.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs. After the World Series run and the plethora of innings pitched last year, it’s good to see Wheeler has kept up his work horse persona.
Grade: B
Is there a more “cool” pitcher than Ranger Suarez? He oozes calmness, stability, and confidence. It’s very Cliff Lee-esque (who doesn't remember that casual pop up from Lee in the 2009 World Series?).
Suárez started the season on the IL and it seemed he was still getting warmed up in his first four starts. He ended May with a 7.19 era and did not look like the stone-cold killer we know. However, In five June starts he has given up just four earned runs over 33.1 innings. His era currently sits at 3.18 and he looks more comfortable than ever. The Phillies are desperate for a bonafide third starter and Ranger has shown he can be that guy.
Grade: A
Nola is the lightning rod for controversy on this pitching staff. Is he or is he not an ace? Is he made for the big games? Should the Front Office extend him or let him hit the open market? Whatever you may believe, what is with absolute certainty is the Phillies need him to play and play at a high level. It’s been a rocky year with a lot of ups and downs for Nola. He ends the first half with a 4.51 era but pitched at least six innings in 13 starts. He has gone eight innings allowing one earned run against the Astros but has also squandered multiple big leads and has given up at least four earned runs in three of his last four starts. Nola is set to be a free agent this year and I can’t remember the last Phillies players where fans are this divided on whether to bring him back. Nola needs to step up in order for the Phillies to continue their playoff push into the second half.
Grade: B-
Forget June Kyle, June Tai is here! After a very disappointing beginning of the year he has heated up majorly. In his first nine starts of the year he gave up 30 earned runs amounting to a 6.53 era. In six June starts he’s given up a total of six earned runs (three earned runs in his last five starts) and lowering his season era to 3.93. The Phillies would not have made their significant turnaround if it weren’t for Walker’s resurgence. It’s hard to ask more from a 4th starter in the rotation. Phillies hope that June Tai carries over into the rest of the year.
Grade: B+, The last month has been outstanding, but the bumpy start brings the Phillies 4th starter to the B range.
Who would have thought that the long time Atlanta Brave closer and the recent after thought would become such an integral piece of the Phillies revamped bullpen. When Alvarado went down, Kimbrel stepped into the Closer role seamlessly. He did more than hold it over until Alvarado got back, he grabbed the position by the horns and hasn’t let go. He has 13 saves and zero blown saves which is something the Phillies could not say they are used to. His velocity has ticked up this season and has stayed consistent. His knuckle curve has a bite on it that we haven’t seen in his most recent years. His resurgence has been a significant addition to this bullpen.
Grade: A
It’s not a hot take to say the 28-year old righty has not looked right this year. Maybe it was the deep playoff run or maybe it’s a nagging injury but he has not been as sharp. This is evident by his 4.33 era and his 1.56 WHIP. Just by the eye test, he has seemed to always have runners on base or have been giving up untimely homeruns. He has been on the IL with an oblique strain so hopefully he fully recovers soon and finds his form that helped carry the Phillies to the World Series.
Grade: C+
“Strike 1, Strike 2, and good luck”. Alvarado came out firing the same way he ended last year. He has been one of the leagues best relievers ever since his short stint in AAA in 2022. He managed to only surrender one earned run in his first 14 appearances of the year. Showcasing a mean cutter and sinker to stifle any batter regardless of what side they are swinging from. He then missed almost the entire month of May with elbow inflammation. When he came back, they stuck him right into the fire with high leverage opportunities. Since his return, it has not been as lights out as we have seen as of late but he has worked out of jams with his strikeout ability. Phillies depend on him to be a shut down guy and he has been just that.
Grade: A
The Phillies gave up two beloved members of the Day Care for the All Star reliever from Detroit and so far this year he has delivered on expectations. The majority of the time, Soto answers the call and puts up zeros. But when he is not on top of his game, it can get bad in a hurry. In his 36 appearances he has given up zero runs 30 times. In the other six, he has surrendered runs of three, one, four, three, three, and one. All in all, he has done what he has been asked. He has nailed down the 6-7th inning and gotten the team out of tight jams or has filled in on higher leverage spots nicely. Sad to see Vierling and Maton go but Soto has been a well-needed addition to this team.
Grade: B
Matt Strahm has been a bit of a Swiss Army knife for the 2023 Phillies. He has made nine starts (three as an “opener”) and 15 relief appearances. He hit a rough patch in the middle of June when over 6.1 innings in four games he allowed eight earned runs and four homeruns. He has since refound his rhythm and has a 3.78 era over the entirety of the season between both his starts and relief appearances. The 31-year old is the type of player that any successful team needs, a versatile, reliable, capable of multi-inning middle reliever.
Grade: B+
The late addition to the bullpen has been surprisingly a good one. After signing a minor league deal with the Phillies in early April and then, essentially, forcing the Phillies to release him or call him up to the big-league team on May 4th, he has performed admirably. Over 17 appearances, he has held his opponent scoreless in 13 times and holds a 2.95 era. He even secured his one and only save of the year in extra innings against the Oakland A’s stranding the “ghost runner” on second in the 12th inning. As a minor league signing and middle relief pitcher, there isn’t much of a complaint you can levy.
Grade: B
Yunior Marté is quite the conundrum. There’s no denying that his stuff is electric and it jumps off the screen when watching the games. When he is able to control it, he is a weapon out of the bullpen and you can tell Rob Thomson feels the same. However, consistently controlling his arsenal has been the problem. Marté had an early season stink that did not go as planned and was sent down to AAA quickly. Fortunately for him, he was called back up when Alvarado went to the IL and has stuck around really ever since. Thomson has entrusted him with high leverage opportunities even earning his first save in a tight game against Oakland when the top end arms were not available. He can be a valuable part of this team (or even a trade chip) if Caleb Cotham and the staff can help him harness his stuff.
Grade: C
I’m not exactly sure what Covey has on Dombrowski, Thomson, and the front office but he has stuck around on the active roster despite his lack out positive performances and the up-and-coming arms that are seemingly ready in AAA and AA. In his first five outings with the Phillies he surrendered ten runs in just 10 innings. He has since found some rhythm and has pitched four scoreless innings over three appearances. It feels that Rob Thomson is hesitant to use him so why not try one of the young farm guys?
Grade: D
Vasquez has seemingly come out of know where. Another fridge piece of the roster that Dave Dombrowski has worked his magic on. In 26 games he has only given up a total of seven earned runs while pitching multiple innings in 14 of those 26 games. He has an era of 1.70 which is significantly lower than the career era of 3.27. Caleb Cotham and the rest of the Phillies coaches have clearly found something that they can work with and are getting the most out of the 29-year-old. Similar to Strahm, a player like Vasquez can be found on every successful, playoff bound team.
Grade: A-
The best way to describe Sanchez’s season is that it’s been “fine”. As the 5th starter, he has, more or less, done his job. In 4 starts, he has accumulated an era of 3.26 and has averaged just under five innings a game. The 5th starter doesn’t have to blow the other team away but there is value in lasting longer into the game and being an innings eater. It’s been helpful that he has faced two of the worst teams in the league in the A’s and Nationals and a spiraling Mets team. Don’t be surprised if Dombrowski makes a move to bring in another starter who will ultimately take his spot in the rotation.
Grade: C+