Predicting 6 next moves the Phillies can make before Opening Day 2024

With no new major league additions to the roster throughout the offseason so far, it could mean Philadelphia Phillies fans are in store for a wild ramp-up to Opening Day.

The Phillies are coming off back-to-back NLCS appearances, including a World Series run in 2022. While there is trust and belief that the squad from last season could be effective and continue to improve going into 2024, it doesn't mean that they have to settle.

Before the beginning of the season, there are still a few things that need to get done to ensure that the Phillies continue to stay competitive not only next season but for years to come.

Here are our predictions for the Phillies' moves before Opening Day, from the probable to the possible to the unlikely.

Probable move before Opening Day: Phillies get some back-end bullpen help

A long-standing problem for the Phillies, the bullpen was very impressive in 2023, finishing 10th in bullpen ERA (4.03) and first in postseason bullpen ERA (2.20). That being said, one would expect some regression.

Last year, unproven pitchers were relied upon throughout the postseason, which led to inconsistency. Newcomers Jeff Hoffman and Orion Kerkering, who showed promise during the regular season, lapsed in October, leaving the Phillies wondering what they should've done differently.

As Dave Dombrowski has pointed out, the Phillies are still open to adding pitching depth. Bullpen arms are the most volatile, and rotational pieces are needed. A perfect fit for the bullpen in this state would be Ryne Stanek. The 32-year-old pitched for the Astros the past three seasons and was a staple out of the bullpen in their playoff runs.

Stanek boasts a career 2.70 postseason ERA and consistently ranks toward the top of the league in fastball velocity and fastball run value, according to Baseball Savant. His high energy and competitive edge seem like a good fit for Philadelphia and the fans. The right-hander has had plenty of postseason experience, something that was lacking in 2023, and can be another late-inning, high-leverage pitcher for Thomson and Caleb Cotham to weaponize.

Probable move before Opening Day: Phillies add a veteran presence to the bench

The last at-bat of the 2023 Phillies season was taken by the best left-handed option off the bench at the time, Jake Cave. Not good. With not much time until spring training and only a few weeks until the regular season kicks off, this looks to be a big area of weakness.

The bench, as it stands, consists of inexperienced, defensive-minded players, including Cristian Pache, Edmundo Sosa, and Garrett Stubbs. The number one left-handed-hitting option off the bench, the before-mentioned Cave, is not the caliber of player a World Series contending team needs in big moments, as shown by his 69 OPS+ last season.

An intriguing option to fill the last bench spot would be Whit Merrifield. Last year with the Blue Jays, the 35-year-old was an All-Star and played three different positions for them, mostly splitting time between second base and left field.

A more contact-driven hitter, the long-time Royal has played seven different positions throughout his career and would bring a different dynamic to this Phillies ball club.

With his ability to play anywhere on the field and his low strikeout rate, Merrifield adds in areas that the Phillies lack. The current lineup consists of a ton of swing-and-miss, and the bench lacks someone who can consistently put the bat on the ball and do enough to help the starters get over the hump. Merrifield would instantly become the best hitter on the Phillies bench and can play anywhere needed to help give guys days off during the hot summer months.

Eddie Rosario is another option who is more limited defensively but offers more of a bat. The longtime Twin-turned-Atlanta Brave has had some incredible performances in the playoffs, especially for the Braves during their run in 2021. The 32-year-old lefty could improve on the role that Cave played in 2023. Rosario collected a .755 OPS and hit 21 home runs last year across 142 games.

While it's unlikely that the Phillies will make moves for two bench bats with several players in Triple-A who could make an impact on the major league team, a proven veteran hitter to add to an inexperienced bench would allow manager Rob Thomson to manage the game how he likes with heavy matchup-based decisions.

Possible move before Opening Day: Phillies trade for Emmanuel Clase

Now it starts to get fun.

All offseason there have been rumors of big-name closer Emmanuel Clase leaving Cleveland. With potentially five years of team control left, the back-to-back MLB saves leader is going to draw a decent asking price.

There have been reported talks between Philadelphia and Cleveland that hit a speed bump because Cleveland's reported asking price was Justin Crawford, a top outfield prospect recently ranked No. 77 by MLB Pipeline and longtime Tampa Bay Ray Carl Crawford's son, plus more.

In his four seasons, Clase has pitched to a 2.00 ERA with a WHIP under 1.00. He's also collected 111 saves and led the MLB in games finished the past two seasons, earning him All-Star nods both years. Clase's xERA, walk rate, barrel rate, and ground ball rate all land above the 88th percentile of all major league pitchers.

A move for Clase would add that high-leverage, back end of the bullpen arm that the Phillies have been missing out on for years. The price still looks to be one of the Phillies' top five prospects, as well as some filler fringe players such as Johan Rojas, Rafael Marchán, or Griff Mcgarry. The talks could all be a setup for a big move at the Trade Deadline, or we could see another closer like Kenley Jansen become an option for the Phillies.

Possible move before Opening Day: Phillies ink Zack Wheeler to an extension

Phillies ace Zack Wheeler is entering the final year of his five-year, $118 million deal that he signed before the start of the 2020 season. Throughout the offseason, there have been whispers of extension talks from the Phillies front office.

Dave Dombrowski discussed a Wheeler extension at his end-of-year press conference in November.

"We would hope to have Zack Wheeler in our organization for years to come," Dombrowski said at the time. "He's been tremendous since he's been here, and we look at him as a real stalwart of our organization. So we would hope that he would be here for a long time."

In January, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal expressed his belief that the Phillies would extend Wheeler during spring training.

And as recently as last week, in a radio interview on SportsRadio 94WIP, Dombrowski said it's still a priority for the team to sign Wheeler to an extension before he becomes a free agent.

"Well, we would love to sign Zack today, if we could," Dombrowski said. "I think it's important that we re-sign him. He's one of the best pitchers in baseball. [I] really never get into negotiations publicly, but you can say it's important for us and we would love to get that done. I know Wheels loves it in Philadelphia, loves being part of the organization. I would say that it's a priority for us."

With no major pitching moves and a window for success open right now, it would be in the team's best interest to extend Wheeler. The 2023 Gold Glove winner has been a staple in the rotation after coming over from the Mets on what is now a cheap deal. Most likely, the team won't get the discounted price this time around.

The going rate seems to be in the upper $30 to $40 million range — a hefty asking price — but Wheeler has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since coming aboard. The 33-year-old is first in the MLB in fWAR and fourth in innings among all pitchers since 2020.

A new contract would likely be in the three- to five-year range, over $100 million total. While it may seem steep, right now is the best chance for the Phillies to contend for a championship. Unless they have other plans in mind, look for Wheeler and the Phillies to be engaged in extension talks throughout the spring.

Improbable move before Opening Day: Phillies get Jordan Montgomery, Taijuan Walker departs

The Phillies have emerged as a dark horse team in the running for two of the major free agents left on the market, Cody Bellinger and Jordan Montgomery. Both could fill specific holes for the team, but adding one of last season's postseason heroes would catapult the Phillies rotation into conversations about the best in the league.

It's an unlikely option, but it would be a no-brainer if the Phillies can land a pitcher of Montgomery's caliber for a short-term deal. Dombrowski recently said, yet again, that he's happy with the rotation but isn't closing the door on a late addition.

Last season between St. Louis and Texas, the 31-year-old pitched to a 3.20 ERA over 188 innings. Montgomery consistently has low walk rates, only having more than three walks per nine innings in one season of his career. The long-time Yankee likely would slot into the rotation as the No. 3 starter. That would slide another postseason hero, Ranger Suárez, down to No. 4 and potentially make Taijuan Walker expendable.

Walker, 31, is coming off his first season with the Phillies, pitching in 31 games and allowing a 4.38 ERA over 172 innings. After not building enough trust with the staff after a lackluster regular season with countless slow starts to ball games, Walker was left out of every postseason game, not making one appearance in 2023.

Adding a pitcher the caliber of Jordan Montgomery would vastly increase the Phillies' pitching staff and would stamp their place as one of the favorites in the MLB. But if Dombrowski and the front office make this move, it would be in their best interest to explore trade options for Walker and his $50 million due over the next three seasons.

A trade scenario for Walker would need to consist of a team that is somewhat competitive, looking for a back-end rotation starter and wouldn't feel the stress of taking on the $54 million remaining on his contract. Attaching a mid-level prospect to the right-hander could increase his value to the point where a team like the Marlins or the Brewers might be willing to pull the trigger on a deal.