What are the next moves for the Phillies after Allard depth signing?

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.

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.