Phillies are stockpiling pitching
Stockpile your pitching.
It’s a growing trend among MLB clubs, and they realize increased depth on the mound has become a necessity.
Recently, the Phillies decided to follow that path with the acquisition of Miami left-handed starter Jesus Luzardo and swingman Joe Ross.
The Yankees certainly have followed suit, and the Mets are looking to take that route as well.
In this week’s version of my Behind the Plate column, I’ll take a look at some Phillies’ offseason moves, and some other game notes.
The Lizard King ... Nicknamed “The Lizard King,” the 27-year-old Luzardo becomes the team’s fifth starter behind Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez, and Christopher Sanchez.
It was a move that didn’t take everyone off guard by the Phillies’ brass, but Luzardo wasn’t a known commodity, mainly because he was shut down in June last year.
This was a move to capture the potential of Luzardo, and restore him to his 2023 form when he was 10-10 in 32 starts with a 3.58 ERA and 208 strikeouts in 178.2 innings.
When Garrett Crochet came off the board, the Phils leaned to a more conservative and practical approach. President Dave Dombrowski doesn’t want to write any more large checks, as the payroll from a luxury tax perspective will exceed $305 million. At this rate, they will again top the luxury tax bar.
Taijuan Walker, who is scheduled to make $18 million, also is in the mix, and he is likely to follow a slower schedule, dealing with some velocity issues.
There also is rookie Andrew Painter, who will also be brought along slowly due to Tommy John surgery. Painter isn’t expected to be active until July.
With Luzardo, the Phils now have added depth, and he is scheduled to make $8 million. For the time being, they will hold on to Walker unless they feel the need to deal him for some bench depth. If Painter should progress sooner than expected, Walker will be gone.
Ross Relief ... Along with Luzardo, the Phils quietly added Ross, who was inked to a one-year, $4 million deal.
Ross, a right-hander, spent six years with Washington and made 76 starts among his 98 appearances. He compiled an overall 26-28 record with a 4.26 ERA in the nation’s capital.
In the winter of 2023, Ross signed with the Brewers and began the ’24 season as a starter. However, injuries sent him to the bullpen, where he flourished with 1.67 ERA in 15 appearances. Overall, Ross was 3-6 with a 3.77 ERA last season.
He’s a seasoned veteran who is an insurance policy for the starting staff, and will likely find a spot in the bullpen.
Who’s on Third? ... All winter long, the Phils have made it known that Alec Bohm was on the trading block. The 28-year-old Bohm was rumored to be shipped to Seattle for a frontline pitcher.
With Luzardo on board, there is a good chance the Phils will open the season with Bohm, who will hit free agency in 2027. With a steady bat (15 homers, 97 RBIs, .280 BA, 155 hits last season) and glove, Bohm also fits into the scheme nicely with an $8 million salary.
There was once plenty of indication that Alex Bregman was going to be the option at third, but the former Astro is still being pursued by the Yankees and Tigers.
St. Louis’ Nolan Arenado is on the market, but the Phils don’t have any immediate interest in the 33-year-old former All-Star. He has $74 million left on a three-year deal, and that can be a major deterrent. Arenado would waive his no-trade clause to join the Phillies.
Even though reliable Yankees’ sources have them out of the Arenado market, don’t be surprised if he lands there. The Yanks haven’t been bothered by contracts – except Juan Soto’s – this winter. Former Yankee Gio Urshela and former Diamondback Jace Peterson were both just signed by the A’s.
With little possibilities left, look for the Phils to keep Bohm.
Out in Left Field ... When I saw the Phillies sign former Twin outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year, $10 million deal, I thought of Raul Ibanez.
Ibanez was signed as a free agent on Dec. 12, 2008, and spent three season with the Phils. Overall, he hit .264 with 70 homers and 260 RBIs and had a OPS of .798. In the field, Ibanez had a .991 fielding percentage.
With Kepler, the Phils are hoping for similar results.
The 31-year-old had his 2024 season shortened with injuries and hit .253 with eight homers and 42 RBIs in 105 games. The previous season, Kepler hit 24 homers with 66 RBIs with a .260 average. Over his 10 years in Minnesota, Kepler hit .237 with 161 homers, 508 RBI and an .746 OPS.
Kepler has primarily played right field, but he could stay there if the Phils decide to flip Nick Castellanos to left.
Don’t expect Kepler to be another Greg Luzinski, Gary Matthews, or Pat Burrell, but he will be along the lines of the Milt Thompson-Pete Incaviglia platoon.
Super Six ... With the signing of Max Fried, the Yankees also have a surplus of starters.
Fried, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon will be the at the top of the staff with reigning Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Marcus Stroman at the tail end. It arguably is the deepest staff in the American League, if not in all of baseball.
Gil was rumored to be traded for first of third base help, and Stroman also has been on the block. They traded Nestor Cortes for closer Devin Williams and brought back Jonathan Loaisiga, which has quelled any bullpen woes.
Unless there is some late movement, the Yanks will open the season with a six-man rotation, and their bullpen is rock solid.
A Dice Roll ... The Mets recently re-signed Sean Manaea, who blossomed into their ace last season, going 12-6, with a 3.47 ERA with 184 strikeouts in 181.3 innings.
Kodai Senga is back after an injury-riddled year, and he will hope to regain his 2023 form, where he went 12-7, with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 166.1 innings. If both of them are sound, the Mets have one of the league’s better one-two punches.
The questions lie beyond the top two.
Frankie Montas has been injured most of the last three seasons, but he did throw 150 innings between Cincinnati and Milwaukee last season with a 7-11 record and a 4.84 ERA.
Clay Holmes was a Yankee closer last season, but he will attempt to start his first games since 2018 when he started four. David Peterson helped the Mets to the postseason with a 5-2, 2.41 combined slate in August and September.
There’s also ex-Angel Griffin Canning, a once top prospect with the Angels who struggled with injuries over the past five seasons; Tyler McGill, who made 15 starts last year (4-5, 4.04); and Paul Blackburn, who was sidelined all of last season.
Best of the Rest ... Along with the Phillies and Yankees, the Dodgers have a very deep staff.
With their signing of Blake Snell, LA will roll out Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, and possibly Shoehi Ohtani to start the season.
Atlanta also should also have plenty of depth in its rotation with Chris Sale, Spencer Schellenbach, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez, Ian Anderson, AJ Smith-Shawyer, Bryce Elder, and Hurston Waldrep. Strider is coming off elbow surgery.
But the Braves always seem to find an arm for their staff when needed.
Man of Steal ... It was hard to believe that Ricky Henderson passed away from pneumonia at age 65.
Since he was out of the game for quite some time, we tend to forgot how dominant he was.
Henderson stole 1,406 bases, 476 more than second-place Lou Brock (930). He holds the MLB record for runs scored (2,295) and played for 10 teams over 25 seasons, having four stints with the A’s. Henderson also is the all-time leader in leadoff homers (81).
Henderson had a brief two-year stint with the Mets, gaining Comeback Player of the Year honors in 1999 at age 40. However, he had contract squabbles and a fallout with manager Bobby Valentine the following year and was released.
He reportedly was playing cards with Bobby Bonilla in the Mets’ clubhouse during a ’99 postseason game after both were taken out of the game.
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