Klentak is confident Harper’s 1st-quarter grades will improve
PHILADELPHIA >> Matt Klentak is quietly amazed the Phillies are on pace for 97 victories despite significant injuries and, more recently, Bryce Harper’s propensity for punchouts.
At a pre-game availability Tuesday, the Phillies’ general manager had no problem describing the sources of his optimism.
“One of the things that we’ve seen is this team is capable of beating you in a variety of ways,” Klentak said. “We haven’t had a perfect first 40 games but I think by and large it’s been pretty good. We’ve had some stretches where our offense has really been clicking and that’s carried the team. We’ve had stretches where we haven’t and our starting pitchers have carried the team. And I think through it all our bullpen has been pretty solid. They’ve been tested with some injuries with four guys on the DL right now from the pen. But some guys have really stepped up. I think it’s the sign of a good team, that you can have a certain player or even a group of players struggle and still find ways to win.”
The Phillies have gotten it done despite challenged slugger Harper entering Tuesday night’s game with the Milwaukee Brewers with 54 strikeouts. That’s the highest total for him over the first 40 games in any year of his career, and puts him on pace for 219, which would rank near the major league record of 223 set by Mark Reynolds in 2009 for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Harper’s struggles evoked memories of Albert Pujols, who after a similar start wound up crushing 30 home runs and driving in 100 runs in an MVP season for the Los Angeles Angels in 2012.
Klentak worked for the Angels back then, Pujols joining them as a 32-year-old free agent. The difference between the slumps is Harper still has gotten his share of walks when not striking out. The proof is in Harper’s onbase plus slugging percentage (OPS).
“Different style of player but Albert Pujols in the middle of May was OPSing .510, Bryce is OPSing .800,” Klentak said. “Bryce Harper has had years where his OPS is .800. So what Bryce Harper is doing is not that out of whack with what he’s done historically. I do think we will see better stretches from him. I don’t think Bryce is going to strike out at this clip all year. He has had stretches before where he’s struck out a lot or struggled and he’s always come back from that.”
As for Pujols, just say he powered his way out his slump.
“He went back to being Albert Pujols and ended up OPSing .850, .860 for the rest of the year,” Klentak said. “He was an animal for the rest of that year.” ••• Back-end bullpen guys Tommy Hunter and David Robertson could be back before the All-Star break according to Klentak.
Both have flexor issues in their throwing elbows.
“Tommy’s doing great right now,” Klentak said. “We still have a couple of weeks to go before he’s even eligible to come off the 60-day DL, so there’s no sense in rushing that. Robertson is going to be three weeks, no throw. But at the conclusion of that he should be ready to ramp up. And we’re taking about one- to two-inning relievers. This isn’t a starter progression that needs to take weeks. These are both battle-tested veterans that know what to do. So, I am optimistic that we’ll see both of them in the first half.”
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NOTES >> Fellow Phils reliever Victor Arano (elbow inflammation) threw 20 pitches off the mound Tuesday. “All fastballs,” Gabe Kapler said. “That went well.” … Outfielder Roman Quinn, sidelined by a grade 2 groin strain, is batting exclusively right-handed instead of switch-hitting. “I’m not sure that it’s related in any way to keeping him healthy but the one thing we think it might help a lot is his confidence,” Kapler said. “It’s his natural side. And he’s been pretty good from the right side. So, we’ve been having him stand in at bullpen sessions just to see what it feels like from the right side against righthanded pitching. We’re going to run the play out a little bit.” … Jake Arrieta (4-3,
3.78 ERA) and Phils oppose lefthander Gio Gonzalez (10, 1.69 ERA) Wednesday at
7:05 p.m.