What are the next moves for the Phillies after Allard depth signing?
Now that the Phillies have signed Kolby Allard as a depth piece, will they make any other additions?
The Philadelphia Phillies remain an enigma regarding whether or not they will make any more roster additions this offseason. Will the Phillies make a significant addition or not? That's the question, with pitchers and catchers due to report for spring training in Clearwater in less than three weeks.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has been exercising patience regarding whether or not he and general manager Sam Fuld will add another player who could be a key contributor to Philadelphia's aspirations of winning a World Series in 2024.
The recent depth signing of Kolby Allard is akin to when the club added Dylan Covey last year. The Atlanta Braves 14th overall pick in 2015 doesn't have good career numbers — a 9-24 record with a 6.10 ERA. He may end up competing for a bullpen spot and be a spot starter when needed.
So, what else do the Phillies need to do after bringing in Allard?
Will the Phillies upgrade the major league starting rotation?
Starting pitchers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are both represented by Scott Boras. The agent is well known for making sure his clients get as much money as possible when they become free agents. It doesn't appear that the Phillies are a strong suitor for either pitcher. However, the longer top players remain available, the lower the asking price may get.
Disrespect is at an all time high #nextyear
— Taijuan Walker (@tai_walker) October 25, 2023
While the presumed starting rotation of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, Taijuan Walker, and Cristopher Sánchez is solid, it would be a good move for Philly to add a pitcher who could compete for a spot in the middle of the rotation. Walker's future with the team could be shaky, considering he didn't make any starting or relief appearances during last year's playoffs. He wasn't happy, to say the least.
The club may also choose to stand pat and instead spend their money by extending their ace Wheeler, as he'll be a free agent after this season.
More minor league pitching depth
Philadelphia could always add a veteran pitcher or two for depth in the minor leagues. Injuries can strike any player at any time, and many experienced hurlers are looking for a new team to join.
Some of the veterans we've already discussed who would be a good fit include Carlos Carrasco, Matt Barnes, and Ken Giles, who threw a bullpen for interested teams on Friday. There is still an abundance of experienced arms without jobs who could be willing to join a winning team with the hopes of battling for a chance to reinvigorate their careers.
You can never have enough pitching.
NEXT: Do the Phillies still need to make a bullpen upgrade?
The Phillies still need a big league bullpen upgrade
Could the Phillies be a suitor for the Guardians' Emmanuel Clase?
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report lists the Phillies as the fifth-best option for Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase. The reliever would certainly boost Philadelphia's bullpen, as he has plenty of experience as a closer over the past two years.
In 2022, he converted 42 of 46 save opportunities with an excellent 1.36 ERA. He had a 0.73 WHIP, along with 77 strikeouts in 77 appearances. Clase regressed to an extent last year. He converted 44 saves but also blew several as he had 56 opportunities. He finished with a 3.22 ERA, a 3-9 record, a 1.16 WHIP, and 64 strikeouts in 75 games.
Just give him the Gold Glove already ... #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/kJEoqYRN2r
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) September 23, 2023
If Cleveland wants to contend for an AL Central division title next year, trading Clase doesn't appear to be smart. Rymer wrote a trade proposal between the Guardians and Phillies involving Clase in exchange for their No. 3 and No. 4 prospects, outfielder Justin Crawford and third baseman/shortstop Aidan Miller.
Crawford and Miller are both a few years away from arriving in the majors. The outfielder's estimated arrival time is in 2026, while the infielder is expected to arrive in 2027. Both could be impactful players for the Phillies in the future. Clase signed a five-year deal in 2022 that includes two club options in 2027 and 2028 before his contract expires in 2029.
It's debatable if they even need to trade for a closer considering the club already has promising reliever Orion Kerkering on the roster. The Phillies could already have a future closer on the roster in the 22-year-old. His role in the bullpen is still to be determined, given his age, and he may not start out in the majors this year.
While Clase would be a decent addition for them in the present, trading away two of their top-five-ranked prospects seems to be a lot to give up in this scenario.
Some other experienced relievers still available include Ryne Stanek, Ryan Brasier, Wandy Peralta, Phil Maton, and Jakob Junis. Maton and Junis have reportedly been on the Phillies’ radar, per Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Liam Hendriks, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, is also without a team after the Chicago White Sox declined his $15 million option.
Hendriks' target return date is around the 2024 Trade Deadline after his surgery on Aug. 2 last year. While with the White Sox, the reliever converted 37 of 41 save opportunities in 2022 and 38 of 44 in 2021. As a member of the Oakland Athletics, he saved 20 of 21 opportunities in 2020 and 25 of 32 in 2019.
We'll have to wait and see if the Phillies make any more additions this offseason. Considering the minimum changes they have made this winter, it's evident they are content to run it back with the roster as currently constructed. Any other changes of significance may not occur until the Trade Deadline.
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