Five biggest questions facing team this offseason
A bullpen that tied the major league single-season record with 34 blown saves was the biggest reason the Phillies extended their playoff-less streak to 10 years.
Expected to be one of the team’s strengths, the offense turned out to be a considerable disappointment, ranking in the middle third in most categories. That’s not nearly good enough.
The lack of MLB-ready inhouse candidates means improvements largely have to come via free agency or trade.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the five biggest offseason questions concerning the Phils’ offense:
1.) Who can they add to lineup?
In his end-of-season news conference, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski expressed the importance of bolstering the offense with a middle-of-the-order bat.
Even if first baseman Rhys Hoskins picks up where he left off prior to season-ending surgery to repair an abdominal tear, the Phils need another hitter to protect star right fielder Bryce Harper in the No. 3 hole.
Dombrowski made it sound like ownership is willing to spend despite having already committed $174 million to players for the 2022 campaign.
Many of the free agents, such as Nolan Arenado and Marcus Semien, are infielders.
While you could make a case the Phillies have holes there, the bigger priority seems to be in the outfield.
The Reds’ Nick Castellanos would give the Phils another power bat coming off of a season in which he had 34 home runs, 100 RBIs and earned his first trip to the MLB All-Star Game. The 29-year-old Castellanos, who has played 472 games in right field and 11 in left field over the past four years, would have to decline a two-year, $34 million option to become a free agent, so it’d almost surely take a longterm, monstrous deal to land him.
Kyle Schwarber might not be as costly as Castellanos and should provide similar power if he or the Red Sox decline his mutual $13 million option (Schwarber probably will). A left fielder and occasional designated hitter, the 28-year-old Schwarber swatted a combined 32 homers for Washington and Boston.
Kris Bryant can play all three outfield positions, third base and first base and hit with power. But Bryant, 28, reportedly turned down an extension worth more than $200 million from the Cubs, who sent him to the Giants at the deadline.
As for trade possibilities, the Mariners’ Mitch Haniger (39 home runs, 100 RBIs in ‘21) is heading into his final year of arbitration after making $3 million for payroll-conscious Seattle and then would become a free agent.
The Phils never seem to land somebody like left fielder Eddie Rosario. Struggling and slowed by an abdominal strain, the Indians sent him to the Braves at the trade deadline in exchange for pinch hitter Pablo Sandoval and Cleveland also picked up some of Rosario’s $8 million salary. Rosario ended up becoming MVP of the National League Championship Series while helping Atlanta reach the World Series. His price tag just skyrocketed.
2.) Who will be the lead-off hitter?
Dombrowski also acknowledged wanting to upgrade the top of the order, which was an especially unproductive position for the Phillies.
Free agent center fielder Starling Marte hits for average (.308 with the Marlins and Athletics this year) and stole 47 bases in 52 tries, so he’d be a good fit as the lead-off man. But at 33 years old, he’s probably not a long-term solution.
3.) Can Bohm bounce back?
Alec Bohm followed a terrific first MLB season in which he was the runner-up for National League Rookie of the Year with an extremely disappointing second year that resulted in him being demoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Bohm, who also regressed on defense, batted .247 with a .342 slugging percentage and had more strikeouts (111) than hits (94).
“Bohmer needs to figure out in this offseason what he wants to do and how to do it and we need him to be a big part of this club next year as our starting third baseman,” Harper said at the end
of the season.
4.) What’s the deal with Gregorius?
Despite Gregorius having $14.5 million left on the final year of his contract, Dombrowski wouldn’t commit to him as the starting shortstop next year.
In 2020, the 31-year-old Gregorius established career-lows in batting average (.209), on-base percentage (.270) and his secondworst slugging percentage (.370), as well as the third-worst strikeout percentage (.164) of his 10-year MLB career. Below average in the field, Gregorius, who was bothered by a lingering elbow issue, figures to be untradeable.
“We need to get better at shortstop,” Dombrowski said.
The Astros’ Carlos Correa will be the top shortstop on the market, but the Phils aren’t looking to acquire another $300 million player.
One relatively inexpensive solution would be to bring back Freddy Galvis as a utility infielder and potential fill-in for Gregorius until top prospect Bryson Stott can take over.
5.) What about J.T. Realmuto?
All-star catcher J.T. Realmuto had a decent year at the plate based on the numbers in the first season of his five-year, $115.5 million contract. He batted .263 — .293 with runners in scoring position — but went through stretches where he didn’t deliver in big spots and struck out 24 percent of the time.
Perhaps the 30-year-old Realmuto’s sore right shoulder was a big part of the reason why he didn’t hit better or and throw more base-stealers out. The Phillies certainly hope that is the case.