The Philadelphia Phillies have been busy this offseason, but according to Jorge Castillo of ESPN, their work may not be finished, especially when it comes to the starting rotation.
Castillo explained where the Phillies stand right now, and his worries about the rotation are more than fair.
Signing J.T. Realmuto on Friday, the Phillies showed they wanted a veteran behind the plate to man the staff.
“What they've accomplished so far: The Phillies handled their top priority early, re-signing their beloved designated hitter, Kyle Schwarber, to a five-year, $150 million contract, but waited until Friday, after missing out on Bichette, to re-sign catcher J.T. Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million deal. They also signed García, who had been non-tendered by the Texas Rangers, to a one-year, $10 million deal, and gave Keller a two-year, $22 million contract.
“What they still need to do: Until Friday, the Phillies had a glaring hole at catcher. The rotation should be a strength when Zack Wheeler returns midseason, but losing Ranger Suarez, who agreed to a five-year, $130 million deal with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, hurts, and the Phillies could look to add depth. Further bolstering the bullpen is always possible with Keller and closer Jhoan Duran already giving Philadelphia one of the best back ends in baseball,” Castillo wrote.
Losing Ranger Suarez was something I never understood, mainly because Zack Wheeler is coming off a major injury and we have no idea how he’ll look.
When things go as well as possible, on paper, the Phillies still have elite arms. However, teams will always deal with injuries, so there needs to be a depth piece added to this, even if it’s just for the regular season.
Philadelphia doesn’t have to go out and make a blockbuster move, as it can let the market slow down and go from there. The Phillies can also make a trade for another starter if they believe they need one.
There aren’t many options out there if they want to be cheap regarding guys who can come in and make a massive impact, but there are if they want to eat innings.